[AGA10005] Shadows Of Esteren 02 - Travels

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Ways: Combativeness: 3. Creativity: 2. Empathy: 4. Reason: 2. Conviction: 4. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Swords: 7), Feats: 5 (Climbing: 8, +1 bonus to rolls requiring agility), Natural Environment: 5 (First Aid: 7, Survival: 9), Perception: 5, Relation: 4, Shooting and Throwing: 5 (Sling: 8), Stealth: 4 (+1 bonus), Travel: 5 (Cartography: 7, Orientation: 11, Riding: 6, Side Roads: 9, Signs: 8). Advantages: Lucky (+1), Nimble (+1). Disadvantages: Trauma (1). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 9. Orientation: Rational. Trauma: 6. Combat: Attack: 8 (Swords: 10, Sling: 11). Defense: 16. Speed: 9. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Sometimes, it happens that Deirdre thinks about the life she will never live. The life of the humble, devout, well-off commoner who hoped to marry a good man and raise beautiful children in the faith of the One. Instead, her daily life is one of wading under the rain, trudging along rocky trails, making her way through snow... or even running breathless with bandits, wolves, or even more sinister things chasing after her. At thirty-two, the Varigal feels the years catching up: knee aches, a persisting cough when the weather is humid, a lighter sleep than before... that does not make things better. Still, she also has good days, such as when she goes to see people who know her and who look forward to her visits. Stories shared about what is happening far away, and what the people nearby are up to. The warmth of a hearth, a bedroll, and even occasionally a clean bed. Songs, laughs, and memories too. And sometimes, the arms of a man around her in the night. Not a stranger, like when she was young, but one of the men she has known for a while; old friends, almost traveling companions, in a way. Even though she never told anyone about it, Deirdre knows that all the dangers of the road are nothing compared to what she has left behind her; the Mauve Death, which struck the small town where she lived, like the fist of the Creator himself. After twelve days, there were more corpses than living people, and the Blade knights, along with the royal troops, had circled the place, killing all those who tried to run away. Thanks to a miracle that still baffles her, Deirdre survived an arrow shot that should have killed her, and no one found her in the shrubs among which she fell. For several days, she lived in fear, not daring to venture into nearby villages lest she be recognized. Fortunately, a Varigal found her, starving, wounded, and took her under his care. She had nowhere to go, so with a desperate willingness, she did her best to prove useful, so that her savior would not leave her. He perished a few weeks later, from the aftermath of a serious wound. Before his passing, she took his saddlebag and promised the dying man that she would perform his duty. Some time later, she was approached by a Varigal and they had a long conversation about those events and about Deirdre herself. Since then, she has been wandering on the roads and pathways. Throughout the years, travelers seeking to cross the mountains between Gwidre and Reizh got wind of her flattering reputation. Although she sometimes goes south, as far as the borders of Taol-Kaer, she knows the passes and crossings of the north of the peninsula far better. Today, she has no strong feelings about the One, even though it happens that she occasionally stops to pray in a chapel. However, the beauty of what she sees often dazzles her, and she feels humble, at peace with the world. And if the price to pay is fear, discomfort, or death, deep down, Deirdre is content. Although she knows she will not die in a bed, her disease-ridden body will not be thrown on a bonfire either. She will die alone, in the middle of the wilderness, and under the distant stare of the One. Either way, she is fine with it. Personality Character Traits: Intuitive / Careless Disorder: Symptom of Morosity (Melancholy). Most of her traveling companions think Deirdre to be rather pleasant, and few are those who know about her beliefs. She is also curious and has a gift for listening to others. However, when a shadow falls over her eyes and she only answers with monosyllables, it is time to leave her alone, with memories she would rather keep for herself. -Figures of Tri-KazelRumor Varigal Louriène? Ah, you mean Deirdre! Oh, she's good for sure, captain. Still, if I were you, I would rather not hire the services of a Varigal to snoop on these Reizh crazies. At any rate, I wouldn't ask her. Military stuff is not her thing, and your Daols… well, she might throw them to the birds; just to see your face. Eargan, sergeant of Gwidre's royal army. 152

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Ways: Combativeness: 5. Creativity: 1. Empathy: 4. Reason: 3. Conviction: 2. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Bludgeoning Weapons: 9, Short Blades: 8, Swords: 9), Erudition 3, Feats: 5 (Endurance: 7), Natural Environment: 4, Perception: 5 (+1 bonus to sight), Relation: 5 (Command: 7, Intimidation: 8), Stealth: 3, Travel: 5 (Riding: 10). Advantages: Good Sight (+1). Disadvantages: Enemy (Duke of Salann Tir), Trauma (1). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 7. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 7. Combat: Attack: 10 (Bludgeoning Weapons: 14, Short Blades: 13, Swords: 14). Defense: 16. Speed: 9. Potential: 1. Fighting Arts: Cavalry, Parry, Sneak Attack. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Poets and bards sing praises to the beauty of pure love, but they are liars. In that regard, Jerryl kills all the rhymers he comes across. And among the band he leads, no one plays music or sings by the fire, which makes them a particularly grim group of outlaws. Once, Jerryl strove to be a proper knight. The order of the Hilderins had made him a man, and he proudly bore their colors. When he was sent to the dukedom of Salann Tir at the head of his troop, it was only supposed to be a courtesy visit... to tighten the bonds between the crown and the dukedom, and act as the king’s representatives before the duke. At that time, the latter was already an old man, soft-hearted and rather dull, but there was young Aïnlis, who had been wed to him a few weeks earlier. It was an arranged marriage, without love, without esteem. As soon as he saw the young girl, barely a woman, Jerryl was stunned. Soon his thoughts were about her only, his imagination going to such heights that his hands were shaking. Jerryl was almost thirty, and was not a novice with women. He acted methodically, gently, although the violent passion he felt required a great deal of effort to be kept in check... and she spurned him. Firmly. And when he insisted, she called for guards. His men were by his side, but they were Hilderins, not mercenaries. When the duke ordered the knight to leave his land, Jerryl refused, and quickly, things got out of hand. In the end, two of his subordinates had to wrestle him away while another did his best to offer apologies to the duke. They left the castle within the hour, Jerryl's features distorted by hatred. After a few miles, still burning with anger, he ordered a halt and, drawing his sword, killed one of the two men who had held him back. He would have murdered the other as well had his opponent not been a seasoned warrior, and after a few blows, Jerryl was forced to flee, chased by his own men. The mists of the Western Swamps saved him; he eventually lost his pursuers. All of this took place eight years ago. Since then, Jerryl has been determined to kill the old duke and take Aïnlis for himself. He had no difficulty finding allies among the renegades hiding in the swamps. He has gathered several dozen men to whom he has taught the basics of tactics and fighting, and now he uses them to commit acts of banditry. There are enough of them so that all together, with their spears and pikes, they form an impressive group, so much so that they have been called “The Iron Reeds”, a name which they have adopted. Actually, the members of the band are rarely all together. Jerryl and his followers hide in the poorest villages, buying the complicity of their hosts with their loot, or sometimes in an old ruin. However, the fallen knight hopes that one day he will have the necessary manpower to take the duke's castle. And then... Bards are idiots, because love has nothing beautiful, great, or noble. Love is a poison, a poison that kills a little more each day. And there is only one cure to it: satisfaction. Personality Character Traits: Free / Impulsive Disorder: Aggressive Symptom (Frenzy). The renegade knight has a volatile temper, and does not accept anything being refused to him. He is not bloodthirsty, but woe to the one who provokes his wrath, or shows him any disrespect. He is sometimes merciful, but it only takes the wrong kind of look, or a reminder of his own fall, to make him furious. Rumor Jerryl has already killed three of our peers, to say nothing of his other victims. I tell you guys, if it was up to me, we'd already be on our way for Salann Tir to go and slit his throat. There are enough bad eggs in the order; we don't need a bandit who goes around bragging he was a Hilderin. However, since nothing has been done about him yet, there must be some political reason. Ergon Tamir, Hilderin knight. 154 -Figures of Tri-Kazel-

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Ways: Combativeness: 2. Creativity: 2. Empathy: 3. Reason: 4. Conviction: 4. Skills: Close Combat: 3, Erudition: 5 (History: 9, Magientist Principles: 7), Feats: 2, Magience: 2, Occultism: 5 (Black Magic: 6*, Ritual: 6*), Perception: 3, Relation: 5 (Charm: 7, +1 bonus), Science: 5, Stealth: 4, Travel: 4. Advantages: Beautiful (+1), Survival Instinct (+1). Disadvantages: Trauma (1). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 9. Orientation: Rational. Trauma: 8. Combat: Attack: 5. Defense: 12. Speed: 5. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 4 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Exaltation: 17*. Major Spells: Slashing*, Supernatural Hearing*. *See page 179 – The Sorcerers Ciany had no interest in technical things, which eliminated the possibility of a career as a Magientist. Thus, she became a scribe at the university of Baldh-Ruoch. She thought she could be content with such a position which, although it lacked prestige, ensured her a comfortable future. This was until she refused the advances of Scientör Adler, who had her transferred to the archives. It was in the middle of this disheartening mess, among the incredible amounts of documents of all kinds that had been haphazardly gathered over the years, that a fatal secret awaited her. A few leaflets hidden inside the binding of a register mentioned strange works. The anonymous author, an alchemist, explained how he had survived accidental poisoning, and went on about the strange psychical phenomena he experienced during his coma. According to his writings, he had managed to establish contact with a nameless being, who proved violent and hostile, but whose will he had managed to overpower. This being had then reluctantly granted him powers. Their descriptions were unbelievable, but the author had worked diligently to devise a formula close to the one that had poisoned him, in order to trigger this contact once more. Ciany knew a few things about the theories of the alienists, and believed that the alchemist had gone through some sort of hallucinatory trance. Yet, his formula seemed interesting, intriguing even. Therefore, she secretly started making use of the contents of the university's alchemical laboratories in order to reproduce his work. Finally, wanting to put the idea to the test, she imbibed the mixture. What came next was absolutely awful: winds cutting at her flesh, nightmarish landscapes, fear, the laughter of an invisible thing that stalked her... When she regained consciousness, she was sprawled on the floor, with Adler looming over her. When she saw the Scientör's leering smile, Ciany understood that she was in big trouble. Adler then knelt above her and, with mocking eyes, started fondling her breasts. She remembers that she let out a cry. A moment later, she opened her eyes and saw pieces of the Scientör's torn body strewn across the floor. Before dawn broke, the young woman had left the town and was fleeing toward Gwidre. For two years, Ciany has been trying to learn more about the mysterious power she seems to hold. She has been looking for clues; particularly writings or rumors of contacts with mysterious entities that are suggested to be related to wind spirits. She has already managed to get her hands on the notebook of a woman killed by the Sigires of the Temple, in which the alleged witch wrote of her experiences with a being of flames and made mention of a Talkéride cousin; a scholar who might be able to provide more information. Now, Ciany must show determination, but also caution. Rumor Report by Urielle Erzhine to the Council of Baldh-Ruoch. We will never know why Adler died. He kept his notes very secure, and nothing in them explains what may have happened to him. However, there is also the disappearance of Lorn, a young archivist. Given Adler's distrustful nature, I think his death is far from accidental. I would go as far as to assert that another member of the Order is responsible for it, in order to appropriate his works. Lorn probably witnessed the murder, and chose to flee instead of giving the alert, which leads me to believe that the murderer is someone very influential. Probably a Primus, or even a Magister. 156 -Figures of Tri-KazelPersonality Character Traits: Persevering / Anxious Disorder: Symptom of Distrust (Paranoia). Ciany is a young woman too pretty to be left alone. Of a sheepish and easily influenced nature, she has often been led about like a lamb to the slaughter in the past. However, her newfound powers sometimes make her more daring, and she has proven less reluctant to use her beauty in order to get her way. Secret In her quest, Ciany has already killed several strangers with her powers. And their Daols were most welcome. Oddly enough, their deaths did not trouble her that much, and it could even be said that the shock diminishes with each killing. The only thing she is afraid of is that after each murder, she always has the same nightmare, in which an invisible thing chases her, and this worries her more and more. Often, she begs this frightening and mysterious being to spare her... even though she is not certain it actually exists.

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Ways: Combativeness: 3. Creativity: 4. Empathy: 1. Reason: 5. Conviction: 2. Skills: Close Combat: 4, Craft: 4, Erudition: 5 (Herbalism: 10), Feats: 2, Magience: 5 (Artifact Repair: 7, Artifact Use: 9, Flux Extraction: 8, Flux Knowledge: 9, Flux Refining: 8, Medicine: 11), Perception: 4, Science: 5 (Botany: 13, Geology: 8, Mechanics: 7), Stealth: 5. Advantages: Mental Rock (+2). Disadvantages: Unwelcoming (-1), Enemy (the authorities of Kalvernach). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 9. Hardening: 3. Orientation: Rational. Trauma: 3. Combat: Attack: 7. Defense: 11. Speed: 4. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 9. Penalties from old age: apply -2 to the results of rolls related to physical action. Joern is a man with a pale complexion, a caricature of the withdrawn intellectual. While his prime interest is alchemy, he has always been fascinated by anatomy. Like many Magientists, he pursues the old chimera of mechanical prostheses to replace limbs of flesh. However, he has his own vision on such things. Why not try living grafts? A vegetal substitute can be used to replace a limb; exactly like a cutting on a plant. When he lived in Kalvernach, he had the means to pursue his ambitions. Mainly, he had guinea pigs. In this backward society that was unable to acknowledge his works, there were always the outcasts and the desperate, ready to do anything to get by. They all represented subjects for experimentation and, for the most part, nobody would miss them. Many died, and the authorities were hard-pressed to identify the “Slasher of Kalvernach”, whose victims were sometimes found in carefully cut pieces. Ten years ago, the botanist was unmasked, and he had to flee. In the end, they lost track of him... but he is not dead, and he has not given up on his research. To obtain the money necessary for his projects, Joern has devised a very efficient process to refine the essence of Gwylmith, the flower from which the energizing drug called Gwilmine is extracted. The purity of his Gwilmine reduces the amount required for a single dose by nearly 15%, which represents that much more profit for those who deal in its trade. Thus, money started flowing in, until the authorities of the dukedom of Dùlan began investigating the alchemist. The duke's chancellor gave Joern a choice between the hangman and an appropriate job. So it was that two years ago, Joern settled in a remote miners' village where a gold vein is secretly worked for the chancellor. Recruited in the prisons of Ard-Monach, these miners know that they will never leave this place, although it is still better than the gallows. Joern has become their physician, and sees to their Gwilmine needs. The work of the miners is difficult, and injuries are common. He has already grafted artificial limbs to several of them. The guards are horrified, but they care little about the fate of the captives, as long as they supply the gold expected by the chancellor. The miners are convicts, after all. However, the soldiers have not realized that Joern understands the rancor of the prisoners very well. He keeps trying to discreetly persuade them that they have nothing more to lose... and that thanks to his blasphemous cuttings, they will have the means to be free again. Soon, a miner will self-mutilate in order to obtain a graft. And others will follow his example... Then, the miners will rise up. After that, it will be time to share the gold and think about the future. With this gold, a few devoted men and Gwilmine, Joern knows that such a future will be promising. And that he will have to answer to no one. Personality Character Traits: Thoughtful / Insensitive Disorder: State of Balance (Obsession). Joern has a cold demeanor, and tends to look at people with intimidating inquisitiveness, as if he were wondering what they are made of... and that is indeed what comes to his mind. Most people do not try to know more about him, which suits him perfectly. Secret The authorities are not the only ones looking for the Slasher. Despite the fact that Joern was publicly condemned by his peers in Kalvernach, and his works reduced to ashes, snatches of rumors have spread among the Magientist Order, and several unscrupulous researchers are discreetly trying to recover what they can. Rumor Indeed, terrible things are done in the name of science. I have heard about the feats of this mad Magientist, in Kalvernach. But let me make myself clear: Flux is only a means. The deep nature of man, and not the miraculous fluid, is responsible for such crimes. Docteur Twain, occultist from Osta-Baille. 158 -Figures of Tri-Kazel-

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Ways: Combativeness: 2. Creativity: 5. Empathy: 4. Reason: 3. Conviction: 1. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Short Blades: 8), Erudition 5 (History: 8), Feats: 3, Perception: 5, Performance: 5 (Acting: 8, Dancing: 9, Singing: 10, +2 bonus), Relation: 5 (Charm: 8, Diplomacy: 7, Persuasion: 9, +2 bonus), Stealth: 5 (Furtiveness: 8), Travel: 5 (Riding: 6). Advantages: Magnetic (+2). Disadvantages: Trauma (3). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 6. Hardening: 2. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 6. Combat: Attack: 7 (Short Blades: 10). Defense: 13. Speed: 6. Potential: 3. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Lyrielle is only twenty-three, but her reputation as a bard has spread among the lords of Taol-Kaer. People have heard of her as far as Kalvernach and Gorm Caladh. When one sees her for the first time, most often dressed in her traveling clothes, she looks plain. And yet... give her a dress, any dress, one or two trinkets, a comb, and she becomes the epitome of femininity. It only takes something a little refined, and suddenly all eyes are upon her. However, it is not this slightly peculiar charm that makes her reputation, nor her repertoire, although it is very respectable. Neither is it her remarkable sophistication or her innate sense of etiquette. These are things for which she is respected and admired, but they are not Lyrielle’s most impressive abilities. What is paramount is her gift for convincing people to sit down at the same table and discuss the things that divide them. If they are sincere, then despite anger, resentment, or hatred, in the end they always find an agreement. Always. In fact, several times, enemies who were thought to be implacable have made peace and have even sworn oaths of friendship. This can take a few hours, or several days, but Lyrielle never fails. This gift is not what people imagine. It is a curse that has already caused several deaths. Lyrielle was only a little girl when she fell into a hole on the side of a hill, while she was playing with other children. When the adults rescued her, they made her open her hand, and then quickly threw away what was inside; the thing she had gripped so strongly that her nails had pricked her flesh, the thing she had found down there, among the rotting bones she had fallen on. No one ever knew who those were that had been buried under the hill, but the Demorthèn took a look down there, and when he climbed out, he only uttered a single word: Morcail. Then, torches and piles of dry wood were brought. However, one night, Lyrielle sneaked out to salvage from the ashes what she had snatched below, among the dead: a brooch–a bronze coat clasp. Since then, she has always kept this aged piece of jewelry with her and it is the source of her strange faculties. Visibly or not, she always wears it and curiously, other people almost never seem to notice it, and pay it no attention when they do. But it is what manipulates their minds, and from it, Lyrielle draws her reputation... and much more. Personality Character Traits: Inventive / Doubting Disorder: Symptom of Illusion (Hallucination). Although she is a charming and persuasive woman, Lyrielle is also quite reserved, and is more at ease as a negotiator than as a minstrel. Her collection of tales and songs exalts the virtue of noble sacrifice, and she appreciates as a connoisseur the painful or tragic stories some of her interlocutors tell her. Secret The brooch is what the peninsular legends refer to as an Object of Power. It strengthens Lyrielle's talents by feeding on the negative emotions of those around her. However, all of this darkness periodically needs to resurface, pouring into Lyrielle's soul. When this happens, she dons a coat and goes out at night, stalking isolated pathways, seeking lonely travelers... Some have been found, atrociously mutilated. Lyrielle remembers it all very well. Of course she is horrified, but the evil force that inhabits her trinket is stronger than she is. So she tells herself stories. That is what bards do, don't they? She sugarcoats the facts: sometimes she must take a life in order to save many others. It is dreadful and beautiful at the same time. But the most frightening thing is that no one ever suspects her. Rumor Well yeah, I tried to seduce her! You know me well, li'l brother. And no, it didn't work. But what caught me off guard was the stare she gave me when she understood what I wanted. I mean... I'm not the most handsome of men, but really, for a moment, she looked terrified. 160 -Figures of Tri-Kazel-

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Ways: Combativeness: 5. Creativity: 2. Empathy: 4. Reason: 3. Conviction: 1. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Axes: 9 (Hatchets: 10), Short Blades: 9, Unarmed Fighting: 9, +1 bonus), Feats: 5 (Climbing: 7, Endurance: 7, +1 bonus, +1 to extended actions), Natural Environment: 5 (First Aid: 8, Tracking: 7), Perception: 5 (Alertness: 7, +1 bonus to hearing), Shooting and Throwing: 5 (+1 bonus), Stealth: 4, Travel: 5 (Orientation: 7). Advantages: Sturdy (+1), Strong (+1), Keen Hearing (+1). Disadvantages: Phobia (Rodents), Trauma (3). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 6. Hardening: 1. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 8. Combat: Attack: 11 (Axes: 15, Hatchets: 16, Short Blades: 15, Bare hands: 15). Defense: 16. Speed: 9. Potential: 2. Fighting Arts: Two-weapon Fighting. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 11. With his imposing stature and impulsive nature, Marn always thought of himself as a warrior. However, he felt no inclination to stay in the backwater village where he was born, and as soon as the opportunity presented itself, he signed up as a mercenary. There were good times and even more bad ones, but overall this life suited him and it led him over a good part of TriKazel. The risks were part of the job, and while the pay did not always meet his expectations, there was money to be made, and money opens many doors. Three years ago, Marn left this life behind when, after a night of blood and terror, he became the lone survivor of an attack against the Inguard where he was spending the winter. It was supposed to be only a contract to provide help during the cold season, when the lords do not wage war and Daols are scarce. Everything was going rather well... until the Feondas slaughtered the garrison. They were like big rats, but in some places, they had scales on their fur. Once they closed their jaws, it was impossible to pry them open, even after the beasts had died; you had to cut everything around their maws. Above all, they were sly. They had gnawed at part of the main beams in the cellar, and dug out the earth. One night, the dormitory's floor collapsed and they swarmed the sleeping men. Marn was on duty at the watchtower, and he came to join the battle as soon as he heard the first cries. He had fought Feondas in the past: once, a creature that looked like a plant, but with hands of bark; another time, a pair of strange wolfhounds with bald heads. But not dozens, hundreds of devilish rodents that smelled of rot and devoured their victims alive. He fought, but apart from him and the two other sentinels, the surprised men had no armor, and most had no weapon at hand. At one moment, he found himself cornered and alone, so he ran to the forge for shelter and locked himself inside. But even then, the things squeezed in through the loopholes. Blood, fear, pain... sometimes, he can hardly remember how he got out of it alive. At dawn, apart from a few half-eaten corpses, only he remained, haggard and covered with wounds. Since that day, Marn has not been the same man. He still works as a sellsword, but only when he thinks Feondas are involved. As soon as the opportunity presents itself, he strikes at the monsters, filled with a cold and ruthless rage. His reputation has slowly spread, and today Marn is known in the western dukedoms of Taol-Kaer, as well as in the south of Gwidre. Personality Character Traits: Independent / Impulsive Disorder: Obsessive Idea Symptom: Feondas (Obsession). Scarring: Phobia of rodents Marn no longer has the bawdy sense of humor and the thundering laugh he formerly displayed. His bloodshot eyes restlessly stare at corners, and he often pricks up his ears. The warrior never sleeps in the hay of a barn until he has thoroughly examined it; he meticulously inspects all of the places where he rests, and refuses to go into towns. He knows they are all full of rats... Secret Marn tries to discourage those who want to lend him help, but is not always successful, which puts him ill-at-ease. Indeed, his obsession sometimes drives him to leap into dangerous or even suicidal situations. Several times, he has remained the sole survivor of a group of hunters, due to his often rash decisions. Rumor Diary of Jovian. The hunter came back, covered in blood, wounded, and with haunted eyes. He told me that we would never see Elsar and Norwen again, but that the Beast was dead. When I asked him where the body of my brother was, so that I could offer him a decent burial, he stared at me with his bloodshot eyes. He made a gesture toward the woods and said that if I wanted Elsar’s death to be for nothing, then I could go and keep him company. He took the money he was due, and on the following morning, he was gone. And with despicable cowardliness I remain, thinking about the corpse of my brother rotting among the trees. 162 -Figures of Tri-Kazel-

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Ways: Combativeness: 4. Creativity: 2. Empathy: 2. Reason: 4. Conviction: 3. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Polearms: 8, Swords: 9 (Long swords: 10)), Erudition 3, Feats: 5, Natural Environment: 2, Perception: 5, Relation: 2, Shooting and Throwing: 5 (Crossbows: 7), Travel: 5 (Riding: 9). Advantages: Quick (+1). Disadvantages: None. Sanity: Mental Resistance: 8. Orientation: Rational. Trauma: 2. Combat: Attack: 9 (Swords: 13, Long swords: 14, Polearms: 12, Crossbows: 11). Defense: 16. Speed: 7. Potential: 2. Fighting Arts: Cavalry, Parry. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Her parents had wanted a boy, so they raised her as such from the first moment. But now, few are those who still dare tell her that she does not have a girl's name. The young woman with the appraising eyes and close-cropped hair is neither tall nor burly, but with her armor and martial stature she certainly makes an impression. From her first days, her parents, who had no other children, saw in her the tool of their ambition. In the past, the Tamirs had influence. They owned several fishing boats and lands. However, their business had fallen apart, and the high society of Tuaille had snubbed them. Her father, using the last of the favors he could obtain, arranged for Ergon’s acceptance into the order of the Hilderins. They did not go easy on her, but after all, neither had her parents, and she proved herself worthy. She has always proven herself worthy. This is the only way for her to make the name of the Tamirs shine one last time. There are influential people in Tuaille, as there are in the order of the Hilderins. If Ergon plays her cards well, she can earn a position of authority. It has been a long time since a woman has been Tòrr Ceann, and more than two hundred years since the last female commander. If only she could attain such a prestige... then, she could marry the second son of a baron, or a well-off commoner. Someone whose family would be disposed to let her keep her name, in exchange for the prestige of having a high-ranked Hilderin in the family tree. Indeed, the merits of warriors are still given due recognition in Taol-Kaer. However, she still has a long way to go. The order is rife with rivalries and conspiracies, the plotters of which would rather make her a pawn and not a leading member. And Ergon knows that she is not the scheming type, so she needs to find support outside the order: people in high places, dukes, royal advisors. And for that, she needs the right people to acknowledge her existence and her skills. So she volunteers for the riskiest missions. Her martial prowess is well-known, as is her composure. The knights of her squad, a small troop made of elite warriors both cautious and experienced, obey her unhesitatingly because they trust her entirely. Still, Ergon is not a fool; she is aware that she is treading on her superiors' feet. They certainly hope that she will die in action, which would suit their needs. Just they wait. A day will come when they will have to execute her orders. And then, she will give them a taste of their own medicine. Personality Character Traits: Focused / Prideful Disorder: State of Balance (Frenzy). Ergon comes off as cold, but she often has a smirk on her face, particularly when she is told to carry out a particularly stupid order. She talks little, using short and direct sentences. She never hides the contempt she has for those she is supposed to respect, yet show incompetence. Rumor Master, Since my arrival in Smioraìl, my relations with Knight Argan are tense. Sir Argan holds abusive authority over the vale of Dearg, and some whisper grim things about his past. Also, even though I am still but a novice, there are things that can only shock me. Last week, we were visited by a squad of the order, led by Knight Tamir. Argan was rather condescending toward her, as if his status allowed him to take liberties with women who have the rank of knight. During the meal, he showed a familiarity that I would qualify as bawdy and obnoxious. And when he laid his hand on the young woman's knee, she punched him in the face, almost breaking his jaw! It almost came to blows between her men and those of the garrison, and I saw in Argan's eyes that for a moment, he had thought about sending us against our brothers. Master, is that how Hilderins are supposed to act? Are we not knighthood brothers, and devoted to the kingdom? Inappropriate behavior, power abuse, squabbles... is it in such a quagmire that I will have to live in after my novitiate? Roderic, Osfei. 164 -Figures of Tri-Kazel-

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-Figures of Tri-Kazel166 Ways: Combativeness: 4. Creativity: 2. Empathy: 6. Reason: 2. Conviction: 1. Skills: Close Combat: 3, Craft: 4, Demorthèn Mysteries: 5 (Herbalism: 9, Meditation: 8, Sigil Rann: 11, +1 bonus), Feats: 4, Natural Environment: 5 (First Aid: 7, Survival: 9), Perception: 4, Shooting and Throwing: 5, Stealth: 5 (Furtiveness: 9), Travel: 5 (+1 bonus). Advantages: Intuitive, Survival Instinct. Disadvantages: Slow. Sanity: Mental Resistance: 6. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 18. Combat: Attack: 7. Defense: 13. Speed: 10. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 4 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Rindath: 62. Ogham: Call Birds, Call Feondas, Camouflage, Cure, Healing, Stone Arrow. There is a woman that every child in Tri-Kazel knows of, a bogeywoman spoken of in Tri-Kazelian tales. For some, she is much more than a legend: she actually exists... For the occultists, the Cold Lady is a vengeful spirit that reincarnates from one generation to the next by possessing weak-minded or desperate people. The most recent Cold Lady is currently in her forties. When she was born, her parents called her Sneachda, which means Snow in the ancient tongue. As she grew up, she became a kind, cheerful, and friendly girl, then a pretty young woman. During early spring, when she was 14, she was on a walk with her parents in the foothills of a mountain, picking flowers and gathering berries, when the tragedy occurred. What happened exactly? No one ever knew, but she was badly hurt, and her parents were atrociously murdered. The local Demorthèn, an old man, took her under his wing, but in spite of his efforts, she remained silent, frightful, and fragile. In the village, people came to the conclusion that the party responsible must have been monsters, since humans could never kill one another in such a horrible way. Renewed efforts were made to protect the community. During fall, it became obvious for everyone that the girl's belly was getting rounder, and the Demorthèn confirmed that when she had been brought back from the aggression her family had suffered, he had noticed that she had been raped. However, he had said nothing of it, hoping to spare Sneachda additional trauma. The villagers began to consider her differently. What sort of monster would she give birth to? From then on, when a child fell ill, a hunter broke her leg, or a Calyre got lost in the forest, she was systematically blamed: “She bears the evil eye! She is only going to bring misfortune!” The Demorthèn stood up for her, but he could not protect her from everything, and she had already heard too much. One morning, upon awakening, she realized that the old man had died in his sleep. She feared she might be held responsible and decided to flee, hurriedly taking every valuable thing in the shed with her. She wandered for days, then weeks, in the freezing mountain as winter came. She experienced hunger, the taste of bitter roots and animal corpses. She found a cave, a secluded shelter where she settled. She had seen the Demorthèn use his magic stones, so she took them in her frostbitten hands and fruitlessly attempted to use them a thousand times. Then came the contractions of childbirth, the fear of spawning a monster, pain, suffering, and, with a final scream, delivery. The baby was beautiful and sound of body; in a word, normal. She cradled him, loved him, foreseeing her return to the village and how she would be welcomed there, with everyone apologizing when they saw her child. He was not a monster! She bore no evil eye! But during the first night, the cold stole the warmth and life from the newborn, and in the morning, she found him blue and hard as an ice block. Her mind snapped, her thoughts revolved solely around Vengeance, and soon, she understood how to use the Oghamic stones... Personality Character Traits: Pugnacious / Immoral Disorder: Mystical Delusion (Mysticism). Sneachda has become a most evil Morcail. She is convinced she is communicating with superior beings, and her sole purpose is to kill humans. By corrupting the Ogham of the old Demorthèn, she has even managed to make contact with the monsters, and to some extent, she can make use of them to fulfill her nefarious intents. Nursery rhyme She enters houses in the dead of night, Walks to the infant in her icy gown, Sucks out its life, with unholy might, Turns it dead and stiff and then she is gone. The Cold Lady took warmth from the baby, She flies away to her cave as winds blow, Singing to her oh-so-still progeny, That remains sleeping amidst stone and snow.

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168 Ways: Combativeness: 2. Creativity: 4. Empathy: 5. Reason: 2. Conviction: 2. Skills: Close Combat: 5, Demorthèn Mysteries: 5 (Meditation: 9, Sigil Rann: 10, +1 bonus), Feats: 4, Natural Environment: 5 (First Aid: 8, Tracking: 10), Perception: 4 (+1 bonus to hearing), Stealth: 5, Travel: 5 (Orientation: 8, +1 bonus). Advantages: Intuitive, Keen Hearing. Disadvantages: Shy, Trauma (1). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 7. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 4. Combat: Attack: 7. Defense: 12. Speed: 10. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Rindath: 41. Ogham: Call Animals, Calm Animals, Regeneration, Stone Arrow, Tracking. Liadan knows nothing of her past: neither where she was born nor the name her true parents gave her, and not even the circumstances that brought Nerlog Ni Connell to chance upon her deep in the Sunken Forest as he returned from a Tsioghair. The old Demorthèn told her many times about this story, her story: how he was walking, mulling over the last revelations of his peers' gathering, following a deer's path through the undergrowth, and how he saw this enormous she-wolf who had been grievously wounded, drawing her last breaths on a carpet of ferns. He carefully drew closer, and the animal laid her feverish eyes on him. In the wolf's stare, he could see, he could understand that she had to give her life to save her children from a terrible danger. She asked Nerlog to take over this responsibility, and, overwhelmed by compassion, the man had accepted to take care of her progeny. The wolf died without a noise, and the Demorthèn then looked for her lair to honor the silent oath he had made. He was immensely surprised when he discovered, nestled among a litter of pups, a naked child of about two or three years of age who was peacefully sleeping inside a hollow tree. He took her along with the pups, which he made sure grew up properly until they were all able to survive on their own. The girl was given the name Liadan–“she-wolf” in the ancient tongue–and Nerlog made her his only apprentice, the holder of all his knowledge. So she was raised, wandering among the Osag clans of the Lands of Dèas, she the Tri-Kazelian, she the wolf-born, rootless and pastless. She became a talented Demorthèn, and when her adoptive father died, nothing held her in the Lands of Dèas anymore, so she traveled deep into the Sunken Forest and started journeying on the roads of Tri-Kazel, lending her help and advice everywhere her wisdom was needed, without ever staying anywhere for long. She is often mistaken for a Varigal, and people offer to pay her for her services for the duration of a journey. Often, she accepts, with no other purpose than to travel farther. However, those who have traveled with her, although they have nothing bad to say about her services, sometimes mention with discomfort how listless and tight-lipped she is... Personality Character Traits: Sensitive / Sullen Disorder: State of Balance (Melancholy). Liadan always feels the unknown portion of her past nagging at her mind. She wonders about it constantly, but knows that she will most certainly never find an answer to her questions. She seems gloomy, pensive, lost in dark dreams. She seldom talks, and never without a good reason: she gives advice and instructions, but never takes part in conversations. Liadan? Yep, I know her: she once scared me out of my wits! She had agreed to guide us through Calhtair's Wood to Kaer Daegis. I was driving the wagon, hauling salts and potions of my making, and we were escorted by three mercenaries. Suddenly, at dawn, we were assaulted by a band of marauders, and in the time it took for me to come out of my wagon, two of my men had been killed! But then, I heard a terrifying howl, and a beast looking like a big wolf lunged at the thieves, wreaking death upon them. I remained frozen, believing that the ferocious beast would do me in as well, but as soon as all the bandits who still had legs had fled, it ran off... Along with the man who was still alive, I remained hidden in the wagon for some time, and when we went out, the woman was gone. She had obviously been devoured as well, or so we believed... However, later, we saw her back in an inn at Kaer Daegis, but she would not say anything about what happened!

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170 Ways: Combativeness: 5. Creativity: 4. Empathy: 1. Reason: 2. Conviction: 3. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Short Blades: 9 (Knives: 10), Swords: 9 (Long & short sword combination: 12)), Feats: 5 (Endurance: 7, +1 bonus to agility), Natural Environment: 5 (First Aid: 6, Survival: 8), Perception: 5 (Alertness: 8, Observation: 7), Shooting and Throwing: 5 (Bows: 8), Stealth: 5 (Furtiveness: 6, Pickpocket: 6, +1 bonus), Travel: 5 (Orientation: 7, Riding: 9). Advantages: Nimble. Sanity: Mental Resistance: 8. Hardening: 2. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 9. Combat: Attack: 10 (Knives: 15, Short Blades: 14, Long & short sword combination: 17, Swords: 14, Bows: 13). Defense: 15. Speed: 8. Potential: 2. Fighting Arts: Sneak Attack, Two-weapon Fighting. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. From the first days of his life, Nic did not have much of a choice: born a pauper in great Osta-Baille, he quickly resorted to thievery to survive, starting with petty larceny. And as the years went by, he grew ruthless and violent. He was not afraid to take out his knife and stick it in the guts of the hapless fellows who got in his way. At barely 14, he was already a full-fledged gallows bird and took his first contracts as an assassin. One night, a year later, he shadowed a man he had been hired to dispose of: a knight, so it seemed. He had been promised a pretty sum for his death. Nic followed him to an alley where it was planned that two of his accomplices would set about him so as to distract him while Nic would swiftly slit his throat... That night, he got his very first lesson. With dazzling speed, the man parried his attack, threw him down, and drove away one of the two brigands while the other writhed in a pool of his own blood. Nic tried to get up, but the tip of the man's longsword came to rest on his chin. He would have liked to have been brave and wait for death, but instead of that, he blubbered a pathetic “Mercy, sir” which revealed to the knight how young he was. “Walk in front of me kid. I'll give you one–only one–chance to become a man.” He took him to the Currency House, in the district of Trádáil, and had him placed in custody for the night. The morning after, he came back at daybreak. “I am Quentin Erward, and I will let you choose: this morning, convicts are being hanged, and new recruits are being trained. Which group do you want to be a part of?” Three years later, Nic left the Brambles without having taken an oath and enrolled in the regular army. For 10 years, he journeyed here and there across the peninsula, wherever his service took him. Inguards, preemptive strikes, or rebellion-quelling–he always volunteered for the most dangerous missions, the ones where he could be sure there would be some fighting. In spite of it all, his thirst for blood was never quenched, and he was often placed under arrest for starting brawls and damaging public property. In the end, his superiors had enough of this unruly soldier, and one morning, he had to flee in order to avoid being sentenced to death after he had killed three or four upper-class braggarts. Since then, Nic has been working as a mercenary. He picks his missions according to their dangerousness, because he cannot stand inaction. Now, he goes solo: he has finally understood that he is a rather poor companion, more likely to cause trouble than fix it. Sometimes he thinks about old Quentin Erward, and wonders whether he would be able to defeat him today. He never saw him again, but knows that he owes him a lot: if it had not been for him, Nic would probably be hanging from a rope by now. Personality Character Traits: Combative / Belligerent Disorder: Aggressive Symptom (Frenzy). Nic loves combat, adrenaline, and blood. However, he is not an assassin or a thief anymore. He is a warrior paid to fight, and he is proud to make a living out of it. Two-Blades Nic, the mercenary? 'Course I know him, we spent three years together in the army. A real handful, for sure! He's like a doubleedged sword: wield him carefully, and only use him when necessary, or you'll likely get in over your head for nothing. Suffice to say, if you need someone for a dangerous mission packed with action, he's your man... but if nothing happens, he'll get you caught in a tavern brawl at the first opportunity, sure as eggs.

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-Figures of Tri-Kazel172 Ways: Combativeness: 4. Creativity: 2. Empathy: 2. Reason: 5. Conviction: 2. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Daggers: 8), Erudition: 5 (Doctrine of the Temple: 7), Feats: 5 (Acrobatics: 8, Climbing: 6), Occultism: 5 (Black Magic: 9*, Esotericism: 8, Ritual: 7*, +1 bonus), Perception: 3, Relation: 5, Science: 5 (+1 bonus), Travel: 4, Stealth: 5 (Furtiveness: 9, Hiding: 8). Advantages: Smart. Disadvantages: Trauma (2). Sanity: Mental Resistance: 7. Orientation: Rational. Trauma: 6. Combat: Attack: 9 (Daggers: 12). Defense: 14. Speed: 6. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Exaltation: 26*. Major Spells: Shadowalk**, Spectral Illusion**. * See page 179 – The Sorcerers ** See below for the descriptions of the powers Eberict is a rather unsavory man who always tends to get into trouble. When he was a child, he was raised in the brand new city of Expiation by parents who strongly believed in the One and had agreed to be among the first to settle on the still-smoking ruins of Lightrock. A rowdy, hyperactive child, he behaved quite irresponsibly and caused much trouble in the alleys of the model city. Warned several times by the local authorities, Eberict's parents had to admit that the boy was indeed a tough nut to crack, who did not relent in spite of the reprimands and harsh beatings they gave him. They decided to entrust him to the religious institution, so that he might be given a strict education and his overflowing energy might be put to the service of the Creator. That is how, at the age of eight, he heard the Temple's doors closing on his life. What happened behind the thick stone walls? According to Eberict himself, he was trained–forged even–into becoming an unrelenting Sigire. He was granted access to secret, blasphemous information and read diabolical books, finding out about unholy, unspeakable truths. However, he was able to keep for himself his most dreadful secret, the one that his masters would have been terrified to discover. Once he was set free from the fortress and the city, he was able to scream at the sky, as if sending a terrible threat to the Creator. During all these years, he had never, never had faith... Armed with what he had been taught, he fled to Baldh-Ruoch in order to put to practice the investigation techniques and the knowledge he had stolen. In barely three years, he made interesting contacts among the occult cabals of the capital city and of the kingdom's major towns. Thanks to his peculiar knowledge, and to the watchfulness he had been inculcated with in Expiation, he avoided many traps and was able to understand many things about the dark side of Esteren. Hunted by the ecclesiastic authorities of Gwidre, he is considered a great potential danger by the Temple, since he was granted access to much knowledge forbidden to the uninitiated. However, Eberict knows how to lay low and use his chameleon-like abilities to frustrate his pursuers. Personality Character Traits: Cautious / Rigid Disorder: Symptom of Distrust (Paranoia) Eberict grew up in an isolated, austere, and very strict environment. He still behaves very carefully, trying never to lose control, as he has been taught to. The infiltration and camouflage techniques he uses in his daily life, as well as his habit of looking everywhere and watching out for the slightest noise, make him a strange, disturbing person. Still, his very peculiar knowledge and his rigorous methods in occult experimentations have opened doors to him and allowed him to cultivate partnerships with powerful people he knows he can rely on. When a situation calls for it, he always has a few strings he can pull. Secrets Similarly to Ciany Lorn (see p.156), Eberict has developed a form of control over occult powers that the Temple's ecclesiastics consider unholy. Guidelines for these powers are provided on page 179. However, a difference from Ciany is that Eberict does not recover Exaltation by performing violent acts. His only method is to study occult texts, which works like the Contemplation Discipline (see Book 1 Universe, p.258). As long as he has his grimoires with him, Eberict can recover thrice as many Exaltation points, up to a maximum of 15 each day. Here are the powers Eberict has developed so far: Shadowalk. When he calls upon this power, Eberict seems to blend into the shadows around him. This power grants bonuses to all attempts to hide in the dark or move furtively. Spectral Illusion. This power induces nightmarish images in the victims' mind: a hellish sight of a ruined world where specters dwell. Mechanics-wise, its effects are identical to Vision of Limbo (see Book 1 Universe, p.261).

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-Figures of Tri-Kazel174 Ways: Combativeness: 3. Creativity: 5. Empathy: 4. Reason: 1. Conviction: 2. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Swords: 9), Demorthèn Mysteries: 5 (Concentration: 7, Sigil Rann: 9, +1 bonus), Feats: 5 (Endurance: 7), Magience: 2, Natural Environment: 5, Perception: 3, Relation: 5 (+1 bonus, -1 penalty in public), Travel: 5 (Orientation: 7, +1 bonus). Advantages: Ally (Ainmire, Demorthèn of clan Mac Dougal, influential mentor), Financial Ease (20 azure Daols), Intuitive. Disadvantages: Enemy (Aonghas, warrior of clan Mac Rory), Phobia (Chemophobia: fear of chemicals), Shy. Sanity: Mental Resistance: 7. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 4. Combat: Attack: 8 (Swords: 12). Defense: 11. Speed: 8. Potential: 3. Survival Points: 3 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Rindath: 32. Ogham: Ice, Call Birds, Curative Berries, Eagle. Kavan is a man who keeps to himself, so very few among his acquaintances actually know more than a few bits of his past. The mountainous valleys west of Còmhlan are the ancestral land of clan Mac Dougal. It was in this primeval country that he was born, grew up, and, in accordance with the law of the Osag clans, was to marry Aisling, from clan Mac Rory. They knew and loved each other... so when he came back alone, haggard, wounded, and with no memory of what happened during the walk they had taken far into the wooded hills, his clan had to protect him from the wrath of Aonghas Mac Rory, the young woman's father. The two clans collaborated in forming search parties for Aisling while Kavan was recovering from his wounds in a secret location. When there was nothing to do but accept that she was dead, clan Mac Rory demanded redress from the Mac Dougals. Not wanting to be the catalyst of a war between the two clans, Kavan chose to go into exile. The rest of his story is nothing but battle after battle. He fought by the side of the Burned Sorcerer against the madmen of the One, and the mysteries of the Demorthèn's art were revealed to him. Even now, Kavan uses his Ogham very cautiously and parsimoniously, as he has learned to do so in Gwidre, where such knowledge is punishable by death. While he was in the North of the Peninsula, he was taken prisoner. He was expecting to die by the hand of a Sigire or a Blade knight, when he saw a strange being point at him with a bony hand. What happened to him? Where was he taken? He remembers a boat, ashes covering the sea, and the everlasting rumble of a mountain... then a cell, and pain. Alien tools of iron and glass, leather bonds, masks and smocks, and, above all, those strange and terrible substances, freezing or burning, that came close to killing him or ravaging his mind a hundred times. Of how he escaped from such a hellish experience, and why he came back to his senses under a thundering rain near the doors of Osta-Baille, he does not remember... It took him one year, working as a mercenary, fighting for the highest bidder, before he dared to come back to the Mac Dougals. There, he was welcomed as a prodigal child that everyone thought lost, and even the Mac Rorys greeted him warmly. Of course, Aonghas had kept a deep-seated grudge against Kavan, but he knew how much he would lose should he decide to enact his revenge... However, memories and tensions are like capricious spirits, and Kavan did not remain happy with this homecoming for very long. Aware of the more than uncertain future of the Demorthèn tradition, he took to the road once more, looking for ancient knowledge and for the powerful Ogham of old. He came back to Osta-Baille and was able to arrange an interview with Algwich Dert, who was intrigued by the strong conviction of the young man and the mystery that shrouded his past. The old Demorthèn entrusted him with one mission, then with another, and finally took him into his service, always sending him farther in his search for lost traditions. Personality Character Traits: Intuitive / Careless Disorder: State of Balance (Mental Confusion). Kavan is very independent and capable of making sound decisions based on his gut instinct. However, rational thought may not enter into play when weighing decisions to be made, which makes him appear rash and impulsive at times. Although shy in large groups, he is confident in more personal interactions, particularly with those close to him, and can relate to and understand others well. My dear friend, The man I am sending to you is Kavan Mac Dougal, and he should arrive a few days after this courier. Tell him everything you have learned about the mysteries of the Fall Tree and Taelwald's Forest; he is my emissary and will know what to do with such information. Whatever help he will ask of you, grant it to him, for this young man is promising, and if I manage to forge him according to my expectations, he may one day be able to take over after me and continue my work. As you see, old fool that I am, I still chase after hopeless dreams, in spite of the years and the past disappointments. May the spirits aid us and the C'maoghs guide his steps. Algwich Dert

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-Figures of Tri-Kazel176 Ways: Combativeness: 6. Creativity: 4. Empathy: 2. Reason: 2. Conviction: 1. Skills: Close Combat: 5 (Short Blades: 6), Craft: 5 (Woodworking: 6), Feats: 4 (+1 bonus to agility), Natural Environment: 4, Perception: 5 (Alertness: 6), Shooting and Throwing: 5 (Throwing Knives: 6), Stealth: 4 (+1 bonus), Travel: 4. Advantages: Nimble. Disadvantages: None. Sanity: Mental Resistance: 6. Hardening: 2. Orientation: Instinctive. Trauma: 12. Combat: Attack: 11 (Short Blades: 12, Throwing Knives: 12). Defense: 11. Speed: 8. Potential: 2. Survival Points: 4 Health: 19. Stamina: 10. Jed looks like a regular boy. He arrived one morning in a small village, went to Woodworker Magrus's home, and said: “Hello, Uncle. My father, Arius, told me about you right before he died. He told me that you would take me in as your apprentice. If that's all right with you, I'll settle in your shop...” Magrus remained speechless. He had no idea who Arius was, but before he could utter a word, Jed had already stashed his few belongings in a vacant spot and immediately started carrying on with a cutting plan the woodworker had left unfinished the day before. In only a few days, Jed got as used to working in the shop of his so-called uncle as if he had spent his whole childhood there. With the village's kids, things were not that easy. For his age, Jed's body and features are rather lean, a contrast with the bulky, graceless forms of the local boys. Indeed, the girls are not immune to his charms, even though he does not seem to be interested in any of them. And when the guys bawdily boast of their alleged performances with girls, Jed keeps silent on the subject. Still, they know that he is the ladies' favorite. When a scuffle breaks out, Jed is always nearby, and although he actually rarely fights, he always does so fiercely and without ever leaving a blow unreturned. This earned him the other boys' respect, for lack of making any friends. Who could understand, anyway? Jed hides a secret under his short, messy hair, his scrawny arms, and his thin legs... A secret he wants to tell no one about. Jed is actually a city girl, a hurt, wounded young woman who suffered loathsome acts from a bunch of boys, and who got back up, determined to never be abused again. Being an apprentice woodworker, she always carries a keen blade or a sharp chisel with her, but so far, she never had to make use of it during a brawl. The village boys believe her to be a boy and treat her as such: a few bruises, sometimes a black eye, but things never go farther, so long as no one finds out about her secret... During the day, woodworking provides Jed with a source of soothing from the dull anger that constantly plagues her thoughts. However, at night, alone in the shop, the nightmares keep her awake, and the thirst for vengeance feeds her darkest thoughts. Then, she gets up and spends long hours stretching her limbs and strengthening her thin muscles so that the quickness and accuracy of her moves may compensate for her lack of brute force. Jed skates on thin ice: the smallest fault in the illusion she strives to maintain could turn her life upside down. Never again will she accept that a boy looks at her the way he looks at girls; she is ready to do anything to ensure the silence of whoever blows her cover. Boys are all pigs; she knows what they are capable of. No one will touch her again, or she will kill him. She will kill all those who try. Personality Character Traits: Pugnacious / Cold Disorder: Impulsive Syndrome (Frenzy) Jed is like a coiled, sleeping snake. She seems indifferent to whatever happens around her. However, should someone chip the veneer of illusion she is covered with, she will strike deftly and leave her prey no chance. During the day, when she is busy working wood, all anyone can see is a diligent young boy, a model apprentice, dedicated and talented. Among other people, she still manages to maintain the illusion, but it is during the night that her wounds open and the yearning for revenge roiling in her calls for extreme violence. During my visit to the town, I crossed a district in turmoil: everyone was in a frenzy of panic, and it took me much time to understand what happened, given the agitation of the locals. I was able to gather that in the morning, they had found three people dead, all of them youngsters from the district showing multiple stab wounds. Meanwhile, some other boys remained nowhere to be found, so I offered to help with the search. At the end of the day, two of them were still missing and assumed dead, dumped in the sewers by the bastards who had performed this vile deed... I went back there almost a year later. The people were still scarred, and no one had the faintest idea of what may have happened.

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178 The Morcail Argala the Devourer and the renegade Dorn from the “Blood Feathers” canvas are two examples of what the Demorthèn call Morcail, meaning people trained in Oradh, who misuse sacred knowledge for personal ends, or to serve causes much different from those promoted by the Demorthèn. Moreover, the Morcail presented here draw their peculiar powers from cursed Ogham. They are themselves ignorant of the origins of these engraved stones, and do not know whether they have been crafted as such, or if what they were used for ended up corrupting their very nature. Argala and Dorn use blood in their rituals, but this is not a universal rule among Morcail. Indeed, each Morcail is affiliated to a certain philosophy that involves particular ceremonies. The basis of such a philosophy can be unwavering confidence in one's own abilities. It can also be related to the beliefs constructed by other fallen Demorthèn. In the case of Dorn, the remains of the other Morcail he worships have become the center of his faith; as for Argala, she perpetuates a family custom of utmost savagery. Becoming a Morcail To earn the status of Morcail and gain the advantages it provides, a character must abide by three prerequisites: -Having been initiated into the Demorthèn mysteries. -Genuinely wanting to accumulate might and power regardless of the Demorthèn teachings, particularly the one related to meditation. -Performing a specific ritual, which will strengthen (or replace) meditation. It will symbolize the strength of the Morcail’s convictions, and it will be at this moment that the fallen Demorthèn will gather Rindath energy. Generally, Morcail will accumulate as much Rindath as possible by forcing the elements around them. There are many different types of Morcail rituals, and each one leads to particular effects. Cursed Ogham Cursed Ogham that grant access to Oradh look just like the ones the Demorthèn use, and it is not possible to identify them for what they are by examining their shape. On each attempt, Demorthèn using a cursed Ogham can make a Difficult (17) Demorthèn Mysteries roll to realize its true nature. With a success, they will intuitively understand that they are dealing with a corrupted Ogham, and that a worthy Demorthèn should not make use of it, but seek to destroy it instead... Unless the lure of power is too strong... ook 1 – Universe mentions on pages 171 and 252 the notion of black magic, which the Tri-Kazelian traditions also refer to as Oradh (which means charm or spell, in the ancient tongue). It bears mentioning that such conceptions are partially wrong. The truth about them will be dealt with exhaustively in the Book of Secrets. However, through two particular cases, the following paragraphs provide more information about how Oradh manifests from its users' point of view. This chapter also deals with the mystic powers of the Tarish, and the way peninsular people perceive them. The purpose of the rule mechanics provided here is simply to approach the possibilities available to these individuals. The Book of Secrets will provide more details about the potential offered–and the price to pay–when one takes an interest in knowledge better left unknown. Thus, here is a quick glance at some realities lurking in the shadows of the world of Esteren. Powers of Dorn and Argala Concerning Dorn, his cult grants him an increase of 20 points to his maximum Rindath level, as well as a +1 bonus on his Sigil Rann rolls. To keep these bonuses, Dorn must perform at least two human sacrifices each year. The sacrificial ritual lasts one hour, and also enables him to recover all of his Rindath points. As for Argala, she gets an increase of 40 points to her maximum Rindath level, and a +3 bonus on her Sigil Rann rolls. To keep such power, she must sacrifice a newborn each season, which means four each year. She loses 10 Rindath points if she performs no sacrifice in the days following the beginning of a new season. If, for any reason, she performs no sacrifices during a whole year, she loses all of her advantages. B ,

-Mysterious Powers179 Supernatural Hearing If she focuses, she can hear the faintest noises. However, they always have a troubling quality, some sort of metallic echo, and sometimes the young woman fancies she hears unexplainably chilling whispers. Slashing By focusing her willpower on a target, Ciany can cut it (or even rip it apart) with supernatural gusts of wind. The first time she used it, on full power, the result was so horrible it shocked her deeply. She is starting to find it less atrocious, but this affects her mental balance. Damage dealt is calculated normally according to the power stanza. The Leader's Choice This short chapter proposes a first glance at secret and mysterious powers, drawn from the shadows of the world of Esteren. Initially, this universe has been intended to have a realistic and ordinary appearance behind which horror and supernatural elements are hidden. There is a fantastic side, as this chapter illustrates, but its manifestations are relatively rare and subtle, which encourages the persistence of false beliefs and doubt regarding the truthfulness of some facts. However, Leaders should always feel free to insert such supernatural aspects the way they wish. It is their job to shape the world of Esteren to make it so that it can best serve the story they wish to tell. Thus, one could imagine an Esteren setting where some supernatural aspects are absent, with the aim of creating a more bleak and down-to-earth setting. For example, a Leader might decide that Tarish powers are just a legend and the members of this community possess no special faculties. However, by making supernatural elements more mundane and power users more common, Leaders will give their world a more fantastic dimension where such things will actually be part of everyone's way of thinking. Magientists will acknowledge the reality of such powers while looking for rational explanations (some may even believe in the existence of superior entities, like some scientists who also have faith), and the faithful of the Temple will see in them a profusion of signs related to evil creatures. There are plenty of possibilities, and the Leaders should take some time to make their choices on the subject. The Sorcerers Ciany Lorn is convinced she is in contact with a mysterious entity that stalks her in her dreams. The young woman is a representative example of what the Temple would call a witch, dealing with unholy forces. As Ciany's story shows, it is not so much a pact than the consequence of overzealous curiosity. The young woman believes in the existence of the mysterious entity that seems to be interested in her, but ultimately she has no proof showing that she has not simply gone mad. Her powers can have very different origins from what she imagines... Her profile shows a Discipline called Black Magic, from the Occultism Domain, the technical description and reality of which will be described in an upcoming book of the series. Still, here is a glance at the possibilities available to the young woman. Black Magic works like the Miracle Discipline of the Temple’s faithful, and makes use of the same chart. It is fueled by the conviction of the young woman, but Ciany does not recover Exaltation by following the Ordinances of Soustraine. She does so by performing cruel acts and by committing senseless murders. Each such act is equivalent to a Minor Act that allows her to recover 5 Exaltation points. One can imagine that Significant or Major Acts represent particularly sinister or bloody accomplishments. For a while, Ciany has been trying to organize her ideas, and she frequently begs her mysterious “mentor” to spare her, or promises it her service. For her, this (the Ritual Discipline, from the Occultism Domain) is a means similar to the Contemplation Discipline for recovering Exaltation. Currently, Ciany has only discovered two powers, the potential of which is equivalent to Major Miracles of the Temple (she can use them beyond the second power stanza), but others certainly exist.

180 Curses These powers take effect over a long duration, spanning from one year (1st Stanza) to several generations (6th Stanza). The effects are subtle, and can for example affect a Character's Luck (inflicting a penalty to all Luck rolls), gradually and unnoticeably weaken his Stamina or his Health Condition, etc. The sorceress who wishes to summon a curse must know her victim, who must have wronged her in one way or another... or, at least, she must be convinced of such. It is said there are Tarish sorceresses who use their cursing powers gratuitously and arbitrarily, but this is rather rare, and spurned by the Tarish. In the “Disappearance” canvas, Matriarch Zurka does nothing to the PCs unless they flee or betray the clan, in which case she will use the hair and blood taken from each one to craft figurines depicting them and perform a curse. Each PC must then succeed in a Difficult (17) Mental Resistance roll lest he falls under the effects of a curse. It will last ten years during which the PCs will be beset by misfortune (-2 penalty to every Luck roll). Conjurations and Trances: As opposed to curses, these spells are performed to protect a place or a community. The Tarish use them to protect their caravans and camps on long journeys. As for trances, they allow them to recover Exaltation points. According to their traditions, such trances put the Tarish in direct contact with an ancestor, who may also show her visions about the future or the past. Such trances are dangerous, and matriarchs only use them with care. Tarish Curse The Tarish are surrounded with mystery, and rumors about them abound. Among other things, some say that they have the power to curse someone over several generations. Stories of this kind are considered laughable by many self-styled “serious people”. Wrongly so, for the powers of the Tarish are very real. The subtle nature of such powers is the main reason for which scholars grant them so little credit. They are in no way spectacular, and come into effect as curses with slow but inescapable effects for the one who is affected. However, spells with protective effects also exist. How these powers work and their effects will be detailed in the Book of Secrets, but here is a broad outline for them. Tarish powers are used with the Bewitchment Discipline, from the Occultism Domain. Similarly to the adepts of the Temple, the Tarish use prayer (through the Ritual Discipline, from the Occultism Domain) to regain Exaltation points. They spend time in contemplation, thinking about their ancestors, focusing on small figurines depicting them. Exaltation points can also be recovered during trances. They work with the same system as the Miracles of the Temple (Stanzas, Difficulty Threshold, etc.) but use different values. Tarish Beliefs and Culture In Tarish tradition, magic is based on aid from departed ancestors whose spirits continue to protect the clans. Magic is only used by women, generally the matriarch of the clan or her spiritual daughter. Tarish powers come under various aspects, among which are: Supernatural Powers from the Factions' Point of View Powers related to Morcail, witches, or Tarish are interpreted in very diverse ways in the peninsula of Tri-Kazel. For the Demorthèn, the powers of the Morcail are linked to the spirits of nature, but defile the ancestral arts by shunning their basic principles to serve the vanity of some individuals. The powers of warlocks are said to have the same origin, and a character such as Ciany Lorn would probably be considered as a Morcail. The Demorthèn, like the Magientists and most of the faithful of the Temple, do not believe in the existence of Tarish powers, discarding them as old wives’ tales.z For the Magientists, the powers of the Morcail are not different from those of the Demorthèn. Their existence is accepted by most scholars, but they are considered as a scientific enigma, the existence of which can be rationalized. Many theories have been made on the subject, such as the one that holds that the Demorthèn could manage, through a process currently unknown, to use Flux under a pure, immaterial form. Anything related to Tarish sorcery and powers is discarded as popular superstition. The rarity and difficulty to study these powers probably explain such a stance from the Magientists. For the faithful of the Temple, the Morcail are the very illustration of the risk of dealing with the spirits of nature. As for warlocks, their powers are taken with relative seriousness, and are said to be the direct manifestation of demons, trying to spread out their influence throughout the world by offering powers beyond themselves to men foolish enough to accept...

182 his bestiary provides characteristics for several commonplace animals of the peninsula of Tri-Kazel, and offers a complete description of much stranger Tcreatures. Choosing the right dose of supernatural elements This bestiary presents a few supernatural creatures. To preserve the horrific aspect of an encounter with such beings, Leaders are advised to limit their appearances. Most of the time, they can confront the PCs with normal animals, and keep the emergence of supernatural and horrific elements for the key-moments of their stories. If the PCs are investigating the sewers of a great city and the Leader directly uses the Cnaighs, it might take out all the spice of such an encounter, and it will be difficult to surprise the Players with a new confrontation against these creatures. However, if the pressure rises steadily and such an encounter is reserved for a strong dramatic scene, it is more likely to create a moment the PCs will remember for a long time rather than yet another random encounter at the turn of a foul-smelling corridor. Conversely, a thrilling fight on the occasion of a simple trip between two places can give a second wind to a long investigation. In each case, the Leader must determine the pertinence of an encounter and its interest for the scenario. Toy with the Players' expectations Shadows of Esteren Players will obviously suspect the existence of supernatural things, and a Leader can play with this by making them believe that a monstrous creature is after them, growling horribly... when it will only be a regular animal, albeit potentially under the effects of a rage. Sustain the atmosphere There are many signs of the presence of animals or strange creatures around: rustlings, shouts, movements, tracks, smells, corpses, shadows, faraway figures... It can only be good for Leaders to keep the atmosphere of their sessions alive with many background elements of this kind, even if it occasionally requires letting the PCs go off-track, because their curiosity has been piqued, or simply because they feel like eating stew for supper. Such opportunities can also take rash PCs into unplanned difficult situations, or allow the Leader to introduce new situations, places to explore, intriguing signs or omens, etc. Using the Bestiary Encounters that serve the story The Leaders are the only ones to determine if a significant encounter must take place, according to where they are taking the story, the Characters' health condition, the progression of the scenario, and the available gaming time. As much as possible, combats should remain special moments, since making them too frequent can quickly render them bland and repetitive. This is why every Leader should try to think about the way each such encounter can serve the story being told. Characteristics Main Characteristics The protagonists are defined by a set of characteristics that can be directly used in combat: Attack (Atk), Damage (Dmg), Defense (Def), Protection (Prot), Speed (Spd), Potential (Pot), Health points (Health), and Stamina (Sta). There are also three skills: Perception (Per), Stealth, and Feats. These represent their physical abilities in various domains which are likely to come up during play. Of course, such skills have limited applications, which vary according to the animal or creature. Leaders are advised to exercise common sense: Feats will not make it possible for a wolf to climb a wall, and the Feats rating of a cat will be about its agility rather than its strength, and the other way round for a bear. Health The Health of an animal or Feond first indicates its maximum score, followed by those which determine when the Okay, Bad, and Critical conditions are reached. When a creature loses all of its Health points, it is considered to be in Agony. Nevertheless, some protagonists of a very small size do not have enough Health points to make it useful to scrupulously follow the evolution of their condition. Thus, only the maximum Health rating is provided.

183 -BestiaryAnimals of Tri-Kazel The animal templates detailed here are for the most part provided in order to constitute an easily accessible and modifiable database for the Leaders. Thus, the characteristics of a wolf can also realistically be used to simulate a wild dog, for example... Such similarities only concern the physical abilities of the animals presented, since behaviors from one species to another can differ vastly. The other books of the Shadows of Esteren series, mainly the Book of Secrets, will progressively introduce and develop new species, variants, and creatures which will diverge more clearly from these archetypical examples. Rage (Bear) A bear can become enraged if its offspring or territory is threatened. If such a context presents itself, the Leader rolls 1D10. A result above 3 indicates that the bear becomes enraged until the end of the fight. It will fight to death, ignore pain, will automatically be in Offensive attitude, and will get a +2 bonus to Attack. Swarm (Crow) If there are ten or more of them, crows can attack as a swarm. The Leader then makes only one Attack roll for the whole swarm. The Attack rating increases to 10, and the swarm deals Damage normally, according to its success margin. Each additional 5 crows in a Swarm grant a +1 bonus to Damage (+1 for 15 crows, +2 for 20 crows, etc.) A swarm can attack several close-by targets (within a few yards at most) in a single Round. Blinding (Crow) On a critical success (natural 10 twice), in addition to the standard effects (5 more Damage points), a crow will gouge one of its opponent's eyes. This ability does not apply to Swarms of crows. Disease (Rat) Victims bitten by a rat must succeed in a Luck roll (4 or more) or they will have the misfortune of having been attacked by a disease-carrying animal. Most often, it will be a canker of Mild Virulence and Fast Incubation (3D10 days), dealing 2 daily Disease points for a duration of 5 days if a Complicated (14) Stamina roll is failed. The Leader can also pick another disease according to the context, and determine its Virulence and Incubation time (see Universe, p.241 and 242). Venom (Snake and Spider) There are many venomous species. Such venom generally has a Short (1D10 hours) Incubation time, but can be much faster and have immediate effects, at the Leader's discretion. Virulence can go from Weak to Deadly (see Universe, p.240). A bite only deals one Damage point, no matter what the Protection and success margin are, but requires an immediate Stamina roll to resist the effects of the poison. 1 If it does not attack as part of a Swarm (see below), the attack of a single crow will only deal one Damage point, no matter what the Protection of the opponent and the crow's success margin are. 2 A snake only deals one Damage point when it bites, no matter what the Protection of the opponent and the snake's success margin are. However, its bite is also venomous. 3 A spider only deals one Damage point when it bites, no matter what the Protection of the opponent and the spider's success margin are. However, its bite is also venomous. Bear Caernide Calyre Cat Crow Horse Horse - steed Rat Snake Spider Wolf Atk 12 8 7 6 6¹ 7 10 4 10² 8³ 10 Dmg 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 Def 10 12 10 14 12 7 10 12 12 10 10 Prot 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Spd 4 9 7 9 9 9 8 7 8 8 8 Pot 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 2 Health 30/20/10/5 25/15/10/5 15/10/5/3 5 5 25/15/10/5 25/15/10/5 5 5 2 15/10/5/3 Sta 14 12 11 8 8 14 16 10 8 5 9 Per 8 9 8 10 13 8 8 11 8 8 10 Stealth 4 6 6 12 10 2 2 11 12 10 8 Feats. 12 10 6 10 8 10 12 7 4 5 8 Special Abilities Rage / / / Swarm, Blinding / / Disease Venom Venom / Special Abilities Some animals have Special Abilities, such as the rat's infectious bite, or the spider's venom. In such cases, this is indicated in the chart above and explained below:

Swallow whole: On a natural 10 on an attack, the sea wyrm swallows its opponent up (must be of human size or smaller). Only a Difficult (17) Feats roll can avoid being devoured by the body of the creature. Each Round spent stuck in the body of the Loch Snìomh deals 1D10 Damage until death comes. Silent and powerful, the sea wyrm is a water predator feared by all of Tri-Kazel's fishermen. The ancients, who also feared it, named it Loch Snìomh. It is not a Feond, but a species specific to the seas surrounding the peninsula; an omnivorous hunter that aggressively defends its territory. An adult is about thirty feet long, with a snake-like body protected by elastic membranes and ending with powerful jaws. The outside of the wyrm's head is covered with thick chitinous plates which make it able to pierce through the hulls of ships by charging against them like a ram. The sea wyrm is capable of swallowing an entire man, who will then be crushed by its inner walls and digested. Coming face to face with such a creature requires a Complicated (14) Mental Resistance roll, or possibly a harder one according to the context. The oldest and largest specimens can grow up to 100 feet (their scores in Attack, Damage, Defense, and Feats are increased by 4, and their Health goes from 80 to 120 points). The sea wyrm is partly amphibious, but it mainly uses this feature for reproduction and, even more rarely, for hunting. This oviparous creature slithers out from the water to lay up about 100 eggs and then buries them under the humid sand. It will keep watch until the eggs hatch, protecting them against predators. Witnessing the birth of a litter of Loch Snìomh is a horrible and fascinating moment at the same time, for the beast shows unsuspected maternal attention considering its monstrous morphology. Sometimes the sea wyrm chases its prey on dry land, but it will seldom choose do so because its abilities are lowered (-4 to Attack, Defense, Speed, and Perception; -8 to Stealth). Magientists are greatly interested in Loch Snìomh eggs and pay high sums for them since they are rich in crude Flux. Each egg is considered as being of excellent quality, and can produce one dose of organic crude Flux (see Universe, p.262-263). One egg can be traded at 5 ember Daols. Attack: 14 Damage: 5 Defense: 8 Protection: 2 Speed: 8 Potential: 3 Stamina: 14 Health: 80/60/40/20 Perception: 14 Stealth: 10 Feats: 14 The innkeeper was intently listening to the story of the Varigal, but remained unconvinced. If he went and believed everything he heard, he would never sleep at night. “There have been high tides in the South these last days. When I reached the surroundings of the village of Bhlaosc, I saw them. I was at the top of a dune, and from up there, the bug-like things formed a web of silvery threads on the sand. There were dozens of them stranded on the beach, and the waves kept casting off new ones. Some looked like they were slowly creeping toward the village. I was rather far away, so I cannot be sure, but it looked like the bay was crawling alive with sea wyrms.” “Your eyes must have deceived you, Varigal!” The innkeeper guffawed mockingly, although some uneasiness could be perceived in his voice. “They may have, friend. But if I were you, I'd advise my clients not to take the road to Bhlaosc.” 184

185 Infectious bite: Cnaighs can carry the canker disease (see Universe, p.242), but it remains rare. Victims of a bite must still get 4 or more on a Luck roll. If they do not, they have been bitten by a disease-bearing Cnaigh. Most of the time, it will be a canker of Mild (14) Virulence, but it is sometimes more deadly. The Feond nature of the Cnaighs is obvious at first sight: these creatures that loosely look like very big rats have impressive dentition, and their grayish fur is speckled with scaly patches. They have large eyes with yellowish or milky tones. Cnaighs gather in packs that can number up to 100 individuals, and they favor dark, damp places. However, as opposed to rats, these creatures are definitively carnivorous and aggressive, and show no fear toward man or hostile animals much bigger than they are. The stench of the swamps and sewers in which the Cnaighs nest is mingled with a telltale smell of carrion and rot. Gnawers may also settle in damp caverns or near pools of stagnant water. Although they are not a prolific species, the Gnawers are relatively well-known Feondas. Rat hunters and sewage workers are among those who are the most likely to meet some, but it also happens that they go on nocturnal raids to assault cattle, a lone passerby, and even sometimes a watch patrol. Few people have actually had an opportunity to see these things, but in large cities, there are many stories and exaggerations about them. Actually, it is unlikely even for an important city to be inhabited by more than two or three packs, and most agglomerations are completely devoid of them. In comparison with rats and other urban vermin, Cnaighs are rather rare, which makes rumors about them all the more unsettling. They can be very crafty and fearless, able to find ways to infiltrate where they wish with supernatural instinct. They fear fire and avoid light, unless they are starving or facing lone or wounded prey. They have proven able to gnaw through a cellar's trapdoor to reach the surface, and several testimonies seemingly indicate that they are equally capable of digging through wood, plaster, and even some types of rocks in order to weaken the foundations of a house. On several occasions, they have attacked isolated farms, stables, and even Inguards. Some rat packs manage to appropriate the Gnawers' excavations for their own use, but if the Feondas have not moved away, they will quickly wreak havoc on the intruders and kill them to the very last. It is difficult to raise domestic animals so that they do not shy away from a pack of Cnaighs, which makes the mission of rat hunters even more complicated, since they often use ferrets or dogs. The reputation of the Cnaighs and their ferocity are such that facing a pack of these creatures requires a Standard (11) Mental Resistance roll. A few isolated Gnawers do not make up for a comparable threat, and no Mental Resistance roll is necessary in such a case. Attack: 6 Damage: 1 Defense: 10 Protection: 0 Speed: 7 Potential: 2 Stamina: 10 Health: 5 Perception: 12 Stealth: 11 Feats: 7 -Bestiary-

This variety of Feond is rather uncommon, but more and more of them are spotted in the Ahman Glas (the gray bogs). Most of them live in swamps, muddy ponds, or caverns dug by subterranean waters. Like all Feondas, they show unmitigated hostility toward humans, and some Mudcrawlers sometimes manage to swim up a village's well, then go out at night and wreak havoc. Others hide in the depths of ponds or swamps and ambush the unwary. Snàgans are able to see at night, and are absolutely not afraid of fire. Amphibious beings, they can live outside as well as under water. They are unmistakably carnivorous. Mudcrawlers generally live by themselves or in small groups that do not go beyond four or five members. The morphology of a Mudcrawler is shocking, seemingly an unnatural combination of several animals. Physically, the Snàgan is part snake and eel, with a length of six feet on average. Two ophidian yellowish eyes are an addition to the disturbing aspect of the creature, which also occasionally emits hissing noises sounding like inarticulate whispers. It smells of silt and dead fish, but those who have already had to deal with a Mudcrawler can sometimes make out an underlying, oil-like scent, which comes from the secretions of the creature. Seeing a Mudcrawler for the first time requires a Complicated (14) Mental Resistance roll. A Mudcrawler moves by creeping forward, and has two short fins that help it change direction in water. The belly surface of its body has a series of muscles that, through coordinated action, have an effect similar to a snail's sucker. With them, the Mudcrawler can swim in water, crawl on the ground with ease, and even climb a vertical wall with significant effort. However, Mudcrawlers are not very fast, and they are easy to run away from. Their gray-brown epidermis is as thick as leather, and offers comparable protection. The creature has several means of attacking its prey. The short teeth in its maw may not seem very dangerous, but the jaws of a Mudcrawler can display frightening strength, the victim being simultaneously perforated and crushed by the Feond's bite. Its long tail is also able to strike at knee height, and its strength is impressive. Finally, on its back and flanks, the Mudcrawler has three orifices that usually secrete a bilious, oily liquid, allowing it to slide on the ground more easily. This fluid is also useful when it hunts in water, since it is toxic and surrounds it with a sort of cloud stunning small-sized preys (fish, freshwater crustaceans, water snakes...) The creature can also inflate its venom sacs and spread a cloud of toxic droplets around itself. This burst only affects those within a one-yard radius of the beast, but can slow their reflexes down significantly. However, by using such an attack, the Mudcrawler empties its sacs entirely, which take several hours to refill. 186 Attack: 12 Damage: 3 Defense: 10 Protection: 1 Speed: 5 Potential: 4 Stamina: 14 Health: 40/30/20/10 Perception: 14 Stealth: 8 Feats: 11 Toxic cloud: Requires a Complicated (14) Stamina roll or inflicts a -3 penalty on every physical action for 1D10 Rounds. If contact is made with the cloud when underwater, the toxin is partly diluted, and the Stamina rolls lowers to a Standard (11) one. -Bestiary-

187 Bloodsucking: On a natural 10 for an Attack, a vampire bat clings to its victim and starts sucking its blood. During the following Rounds, it inflicts the same amount of Damage points as on the initial Attack, without having to roll again. Damage is inflicted as long as the Mealtag is alive, or until someone (who can be the victim) tears it away with a Difficult (17) Feats roll. Tearing it away deals the same Damage to the victim as the initial Attack. At first sight, Mealtags look like large bats. However, their glowing red-hued eyes betray their Feond nature. These creatures are mentioned in Demorthèn tales along with Fasgadairs, vampiric beasts from the Aergewin. Mealtags primarily attack humans, feeding on their blood, but they can also target animals if they get hungry enough. They attack as a group, trying to overwhelm their victim, which will quickly be drained to death (see the “Bloodsucking” special attack). These Feondas are most often active at night, and fear fire, which is the only way to efficiently protect oneself from a swarm. Mealtags like to settle in ruins or derelict buildings, which they greatly favor over hot and damp caverns, as opposed to their natural versions. Large cities are not spared from the presence of vampire bats; on the contrary, an abandoned steeple, a ruined building, sewers, or a disused cellar can quickly become their habitat. Mealtags are an aggressive species, and it frequently happens that members of a same swarm fight against one another. These Feondas do not hesitate to drive out other animals, such as rats or common bats, to occupy their territory. However, if there are Cnaighs or any other Feondas about, the Mealtags will not fight them, as if they could feel their similar nature. Mealtags are sly; some could even say that they are gifted with a true form of intelligence devoted to the destruction of mankind. They will not hesitate to move from their territory if they feel threatened, will try to kill their prey stealthily under cover of darkness, and will try to neutralize those who want to use fire against them. Attack: 6 Damage: 1 Defense: 12 Protection: 0 Speed: 8 Potential: 2 Stamina: 10 Health: 10 Perception: 10 Stealth: 8 Feats: 6 Yes, I have heard about this mask-bearing creature that roams around Osta-Baille's slums. They call it “the ghoul”, and it is said it feeds from the flesh and blood of humans. Some swear it is a Drèin; some others have described it to me as a woman with enthralling charms, wearing a funeral mask lined with Oghamic symbols. They say she lives surrounded by a pack of Mealtags in one of the many abandoned buildings of this district. Take care my friend, for the lords of Osta-Baille do not care about poor people disappearing in the depths of this city, and no one will come to your aid...

Poison: The Virulence of the toxin produced by the poison-plants varies from one species to another, as does the Incubation time until the appearance of the first symptoms. Most Nimhs Cuirs produce poisons of Mild Virulence, which take effect within seconds. Failing a Complicated (14) Stamina roll immediately inflicts 10 Poison points. Hallucinogenic: Some varieties of poison-plants also produce pollen with hallucinogenic properties. Exposure to such a poison requires a successful Mental Resistance roll (with a variable Difficulty Threshold according to how powerful the toxic pollen is) to avoid suffering Trauma points from horrific visions. The hallucination will last as long as the victims remain in the pollen's area of action, or 1D10 minutes if they move away. Proximity with hallucinating persons can be very dangerous, since they will perceive the people around them as horrible creatures that they will not hesitate to attack. Critical failure on the Mental Resistance roll induces murderous madness: the victims will savagely attack any person in their weapons' reach for 1D10 minutes. If there is no one around, they will end up hurting themselves in their fight against imaginary creatures, and will likely die. The name “poison-plant” is the direct translation of “Nimh Cuir”, from the name the Demorthèn gave to these plants in times past. Animated ideological debates stir the Demorthèn circles about the true nature of these plants: some of them consider that they are dangerous but normal plants, whereas others are convinced they are the expression of the wrath of upset spirits of nature that wish to get revenge against man. The plants presented here are definitely Feondas, and their monstrous nature shows through two peculiarities: their propensity for violently hurting mankind, and the particular form of intelligence which they seem to be gifted with. There are many different types of Nimhs Cuirs, and their Feond nature is variably easy to ascertain at first sight. Some look like normal plants, albeit with strange properties (roses exhaling a cloud of toxic pollen at will, or lilies wreathed with thorns), others have a strange and entirely unique morphology. Nimhs Cuirs never attack animals: no pollen will be puffed, nor will the venom of the thorns be injected. However, humans will never be spared, and Nimhs Cuirs will always use their weapons. Most often, Nimhs Cuirs are small-sized plants, but they can be of a much greater scale: a wall of vines, a field of flowers, etc. Attack methods are varied (pollen, thorns), and the most dangerous species even exhale an infectious perfume. Other types of traps are also used: the plants will be as beautiful as possible to attract sight, a pleasant scent will be released to lower the defenses of the victim-to-be, etc. There are Nimhs Cuirs that are capable of moving, and although they only manage to do so very slowly (not more than a few yards per hour for the great majority), it is enough to try to deliberately kill humans. Thus, one of these Feondas may move several yards under cover of darkness, to surround or cover nearby sleeping humans. Most fortunately, this last category of Nimhs Cuirs is the rarest. Attack: Variable (between 6 and 12) Damage: 1 (a successful attack only deals one Damage point, no matter what the margin is) Defense: Variable (between 5 and 10) Protection: Variable (between 0 and 5) Speed: Variable (between 1 and 10) Potential: 2 Stamina: 10 Health: Variable (between 10 and 30) Perception: 10 Stealth: 12 Feats: Variable (between 0 and 10) Magientist Experiments Some plants, mistaken for Nimhs Cuirs, are actually the consequence of massive Flux pollution, or the offspring of failed Magientist experiments. The poisonous algae of the “Shipwreck” canvas are an example. These toxic plants can be told apart from Feondas because of their absence of will to harm human beings exclusively: they attack anything that moves. They secrete various poisons, and they can also have very different aspects. Mutated species can be recognized at first glance, vaguely reminiscent of the original plant but being of enormous size and strange appearance. 188

189 Puppeteer: The gaze of a Frendialenn is a psychic poison that contaminates its victims' minds and creates a mental link with them. Fighting the Frendialenn at close quarters is very dangerous, since odds are that the fighter will lock eyes with it long enough for the psychic venom to take effect (50% chance each round), at which point a Difficult (17) Mental Resistance roll is required. If successful, the Character is permanently immune to the power of this particular Frendialenn. On a failure, the unfortunate soul suffers three Trauma points (including a Permanent one), and becomes a thrall of the creature, which can take control of its prey once they fall asleep. The victims never remember the actions they perform during their sleep (most often ruthless murders). A Frendialenn can only have one victim under its command at a given time. The only way to put an end to the possession is to kill the creature or its victim. It is possible to use a special Magientist medicine called Hypnos, which induces very heavy sleep and temporarily severs the psychic link with the creature. Note that the doses must be precise (see Book 1, p.280) and that this substance can cause addiction (see Book 1, “Tonic,” p.244). Those who saw this unique creature for the first time in the wooded area close to Frendian called it Frendialenn; “Frendian's Bane” in the tongue of the ancients. According to testimonies, similar beasts dwell in other regions where they bear various names, for example Tàmh Mallaichte, which means “cursed sleep”. A rare sight, this monster only lets its victims get away in order to sneak close to them a moment later and instill its poison before hiding away once more. Witnesses are few, but they agree on some very distinctive features. The first element of note is one that seems to haunt the memory of those who managed to escape the Beast: its three amber eyes, glowing malevolently. Those who were unfortunate enough to see the creature up close speak of a humanoid creature, taller than a well-built man, with thick, dark skin and a tail like that of a lizard. In close combat, a Frendialenn can be a deadly foe, but its hypnotic gaze is considerably more fearsome, since it can turn its opponents against their own. Once it has contaminated someone's mind, it waits until the victim sleeps to seep in like a poison, deftly take control, and cause bouts of bloody madness, leaving no memory of such atrocities. At most, the thralls will remember an awful nightmare during which they felt awake and paralyzed while clearly feeling the very near presence of an intruder whispering threats of an imminent death. Unable to move, they will vaguely see a dark shape crushing their chest, suffocating them until they wake up with a start, breathless and sweating. Progressively, the psychic link gets stronger until the victims become aware of the existence of the Frendialenn and come to meet it. This phase occurs after 1D10 weeks and strengthens the monster's hold on its prey. The thralls never speak of this relation, nor of the Frendialenn's existence, no matter what happens. Only a hypnosis session can make them confess: the victims will then describe their morbid fascination for their master and may reveal the location of its lair. However, such hypnosis is very dangerous, since it can allow the Frendialenn to suddenly take control of the victim (Difficult (17) Mental Resistance roll). Rarely, and according to unfathomable criteria, the Frendialenn may choose its victim–whether man or woman–to bear its spawn: the “pregnancy” lasts a year and leads to a blasphemous birth resulting in the death of the bearer. Additional information and an illustration of the Frendialenn can be found on page 39. Attack: 15 Damage: 3 (claws) Defense: 14 Protection: 2 Speed: 10 Potential: 2 Stamina: 10 Health: 35/25/15/5 Perception: 12 Stealth: 14 Feats: 14 Aoda's Thoughts They call it Frendialenn. They think it is a Feond. If it was with them, in their heads, they would know that it has no name, that it is everything and everyone at the same time, that it is much more than a mere monster. What it makes me do, I know not. But when I wake up covered with the blood of those who were unfortunate enough to cross my path, I then understand, and I hate myself as much as I loathe it. And yet I revere it. It grants me such strength, and it protects me while it dominates me. It is so close, always in my thoughts. I feel it growing deep in my mind, I feel it invading me, then withdrawing, leaving me alone once more. In spite of how shameful it is, I cannot help but savor this peerless sensation, this abandonment of myself to this being like no other, so superior to the wretched little thing I was before I met it...

190 Absorption: On a successful attack, Madarcht is able to engulf its target. Once it has absorbed the victim in its membrane, it attaches suckers through which it sucks out the entrapped being's fluids, transferring them to its own arteries at an astounding speed. Witnessing such an attack causes a Complicated (14) Mental Resistance roll. With its size, it can devour two human-sized victims at the same time. The Round on which it takes hold inflicts no Damage, but the victims then suffer 2 Damage points each Round, with the Feond regenerating an amount of Health points equal to the inflicted Damage. Normal human beings will therefore have all of their blood sucked out in one minute. The absorbed person has no way of getting out of Madarcht's membrane short of a Heroic (30) Feats roll. An ally can try to cut the membrane from outside to pull the victim away, which requires inflicting 20 Damage points to Madarcht, with the risk of the engulfed person being injured as well, suffering half the Damage inflicted to Madarcht on a Luck roll of 1 or 2. Spores: Once per day, Madarcht can make strange, fungus-like structures sprout on the surface of its outer membrane. After three Rounds, they burst open, expelling spores that, once inhaled, can transform a victim into a Minion. To avoid being contaminated, a Standard (11) Stamina roll is required, which becomes Complicated (14) if the being is close to Madarcht (i.e. less than 30 feet away). A network of grottoes leads to a cavity at the foot of a great and majestic millennial tree. A natural well lets light flow into an environment both disconcerting and fascinating. The walls are made of moss-covered rocks, while intertwined roots form a roof. An awesome creature lives in this subterranean cavity, sleeping in a small lake of fresh water. Both beautiful and hellish, it is lit by fireflies, phosphorescent mushrooms, and delicate spiderwebs glowing and dancing with the movements of their entrapped prey. Great Madarcht, worshiped by the Pure of Higher Mùdan, is a 12-foot-tall, rather sedentary Feond whose behavior is similar to that of a life form few people are familiar with: slime molds–collective amoebas–barely describable entities that suck the blood and fluids of their victims. These beings have an aspect reminiscent of mushrooms or lichens, but like animals, they are able to move and hunt. Usually, these wonders of nature are only a few inches big and pose no threat to mankind. Their inconspicuousness, their atypical nature, and Madarcht's out-of-proportion size explain why it is difficult to conceive the possibility of such a being. In that regard, seeing Madarcht for the first time requires a Complicated (14) Mental Resistance roll. A Difficult (17) Erudition or Science roll might provide some information about this creature, mainly leading to the deduction that the best way to destroy it would be to burn it. However, considering how damp its lair is, it would take oil or a similar combustible to act efficiently (1D10 Damage each Round per fire source). In case of danger, or after it has absorbed two victims, Madarcht retreats to its pond (see the rules about underwater combat in the “Shipwreck” canvas, p.89). Attack: 10 Damage: Absorption (see below) Defense: 7 Protection: 0 Speed: 4 Potential: 1 Stamina: 15 Health: 100/75/50/25 Perception: 12 Stealth: 8 Feats: 5

191 A Strange Manifestation his option will give a fight against Madarcht a supernatural aspect. Its purpose is to bring the PCs to ask themselves questions, confront rumors, take note of abnormal phenomena, etc. As the fight against Madarcht is raging, C'maoghs may come out of the walls, offering an enchanting sight, mute and dancing, witnesses to what is happening in the damp cavern. Why are there so many of them? Is this cave a Cinthareïd, a sacred place for Demorthèn? Is this an explanation for the exceptional quality of the Flux a curious Magientist may draw out? Why are the C'maoghs present when it is generally agreed that they shy away from Feondas, as it is the case in Candlewood? Could it be that, in spite of all appearances, Madarcht is really a great, monstrous spirit? T Attack: +2 Speed: +2 Stamina: +2 Feats: +2 Health: +5 Sometimes, in the spirits' forest guarded by the Pure of Higher Mùdan, there floats by a strange golden cloud. It is formed of the rising spores expelled by Madarcht, and borne by the softest gust of wind. Once spread, they contaminate flora and fauna, with effects that can lead to the generation of a Minion when the concentration of spores is sufficient. These seeds stick to the flesh and start growing on the surface, like mushrooms. However, beneath the skin, they draw energy from the host's blood like parasites. They are hard to totally remove since the protrusions they develop first root into the veins, then into the nervous system. The infestation spreads progressively, the body struggling against the parasite in a contest of Stamina. It will completely enthrall the victim after three weeks of development (one month if a Complicated (14) Stamina roll is made, two months with a Difficult (17) roll). Until this process is complete, it is possible to use several types of remedies to neutralize the germs and purge the body: a Cure Ogham or a Miraculous Healing Miracle at the second Circle/Stanza; or a special Magientist Tonic. If no cure is provided before the crucial moment, the infestation is permanent, barring the use of a Purification Miracle at the fourth Stanza. The animal or human then becomes a Minion of Madarcht. From this moment on, it feels an urge to stay in the surroundings of its creator's lair and to defend it against intruders. Should Madarcht be destroyed, the Minion would become a sort of predator, showing a very destructive, Feond-like behavior. In combat, the Minion's behavior is very violent and brutal, but the means used are normal: wolves circle and tear apart, while humans wield swords, bows, etc. The constitution, physical strength, and fortitude of these beings are much higher, as reflected by the bonuses detailed above. These modifiers apply after the first week of infestation. Controlling and Curing f they use this option, the Leaders will make merely using a Tonic insufficient to neutralize an infection by Madarcht for good. They may also make the Demorthèn and Elect's powers ineffective, or considerably raise the level of the required Circle or Stanza. In a way, the parasite can be compared to Magientist Mékônes since it grants permanent bonuses. Moreover, under low-angled light, it is possible to see abnormally accentuated veins. In exchange, the host has to feed more, lest he suffers from terrible hunger or exhaustion. Magientists with medical and pharmacological knowledge such as Anaïs Cruyssec in the “A Life Choice” scenario could find a way to slow down and even stabilize the progression of the parasite before the infestation becomes permanent. The characteristics of the remedy will be similar to a Magientist Tonic (Book 1, p.244). Their whole lives, such beings will enjoy considerable benefits, but will be under the constant threat of insidiously changing into monsters should they run out of their remedy. Magientist researchers (in Baldh-Ruoch or the Ashen Yard, for example) might cure or help a prospective Minion, but they will also wonder whether it could be possible to stimulate the parasite while still controlling it, in order to draw out even more extraordinary abilities... I Neventer, Demorthèn of Higher Mùdan, owns a very rare Ogham called “Madarcht's Peace”, which placates Madarcht as well as its Minions. Theoretically, it could therefore be possible for a Demorthèn in friendly terms with a Minion to regularly use the Sigil Rann to allow the infested to lead an almost normal life. Such a treatment, combined with adequate Tonics, might completely neutralize the negative effects of the contamination while keeping the advantages it grants... However, this solution would imply an alliance between a Demorthèn and a Magientist to study a phenomenon neither of them would understand! Minion of Madarcht

-Bestiary192 The Drèin of the Torn Woods, on the Island of Calvary, is called “Fir Patience” and is reminiscent of a melancholic lady, a macabre beauty lost in a madness she soothes with long walks amidst a tormented but pristine nature. The Lady watches over her domain and seems curiously attached to the ancient stones. It may be true she once was a Morcail... or maybe she grieves over something? Her pain might be connected to the heart of the forest where it is said a Cinthareïd stands, a place where C'maoghs gather. However, very few explorers have made it that far and come back to tell about it, and tall tales are more common than authentic testimonies. It seems that she is rather well-disposed toward children, although her affection sometimes shows in strange ways, drawing them inside the forest and letting them die of hunger or cold, then delicately leaving their bodies to rest on a bed of moss or down... However, should any other people tread on her territory, she might strike them down with her grim arrows. Should someone manage to defeat Lady Fir Patience, her wood-like body would crumble, and it would be possible to find two Oghamic stones in her remains: Camouflage and Stone Arrow. Beware, because these Ogham are cursed and bear the taint of Morcail (see the section about Morcail on p.178). Attack: 10 (Ranged: 15) Damage: 1 (claw) or 2 (bone arrow) Defense: 10 Protection: 2 Speed: 12 Potential: 2 Stamina: 15 Health: 60/30/15/8 Perception: 15 Stealth: 12 Feats: 8 I am hurrying to write down this story while what I have been told of it remains relatively clear in my mind. My source is an occultist colleague who is working in Gwidre under the pretense of being a simple scholar and the private secretary of an important figure. This gave him the opportunity to go with his master to the Island of Calvary, and there, he was able to visit the outskirts of the Torn Woods. It is said they are protected by a sort of guardian that assails any adult entering her territory, yet spares children. My friend managed to meet a boy, apparently quick of wits, who claimed to have met the creature. According to him, she would be called “Fir Patience”. Actually, I presume that the child invented the name, considering that the lady, if such a name can be applied to that thing, does not speak. The description he made of her face leads me to believe that it is a Drèin we are dealing with. I cannot help but wonder: how is it possible that a Feond tolerates a human presence? Isn't it in the nature of these creatures to systematically want to kill and destroy? Is our approach of the problem simplistic, focusing on the most exceptional and vile aspects of their manifestations? A local tale has it that a Morcail named Uhenbrit was defeated by legendary Demorthèn Ruel a very long time ago. Usually, we know nothing of the origins of the Feondas we face. However, in this case, I think that Morcail Uhenbrit and Drèin Fir Patience are one and the same entity–I dare not say “person”. The point is that according to the legend, the Morcail had many children and attempted to replace their blood with sap, so that they would become perfect according to her twisted version of the world. Details aside, she was a mother... And my conjecture is that this aspect, which was so important for her, survived even through her transformation. This theory explains her relative benevolence toward children, but can similar hypotheses be constructed from other tales about the Torn Woods? Is Demorthèn Ruel truly responsible for her fate? Should we conclude that Drèins are beings who came back from the dead through Demorthèn rituals as a form of “damnation” to punish them for their blasphemous crimes? From the diary of Athelsan Oxcendre, Occultist Bone arrow: Fir Patience can replace a standard attack with the use of a projectile extracted from her own body. She sticks a hand into her flesh, which opens effortlessly, and draws out a sort of sharp arrow made of a substance between wood and bone. She can throw it as far as a dozen yards with a simple flick. Vegetal propagation: With a mere stroke, the Lady of the Torn Woods is able to trigger the lush growth of wild grass, stringy lichen, mushrooms, or strands similar to the silk of an insect's cocoon. She can then use them to hide (Stealth bonus ranging from +2 to +5 according to the area), or to conceal something. She can also catch an opponent in these tangles (see Book 1 - Universe, p.251, “Physical Resistance” for the effects of immobilization). A Difficult (17) Stamina or Feats roll is then necessary to free oneself.

194 The Sirens of the Tealderoth are extremely dangerous Feondas, but fortunately, there are few of them. Their lairs are mainly located close to the Tealderoth's estuary, where the currents of the Sea of Shrouds can be felt. Varigals commonly advise travelers to quickly cross the Alliance Bridge and to absolutely not linger. Someone mad enough to seek the lair of a Siren would have to dive deep into the water and explore natural galleries. Such a daredevil would find the remains of the Feond's victims and many riches accumulated through the years: Daols (for a total value of 1D10 frost Daols), and maybe a few items (see Book 1 Universe, p.221 to 226), possibly rare and precious ones (see Book 1 Universe, p.226 and 227 for exceptional equipment). At close quarters, a Siren will try to bite its opponent, but will be quick to flee. It swims twice or thrice as fast as a normal human. Attack: 10 Damage: 1 Defense: 10 Protection: 0 Speed: 10 Potential: 2 Stamina: 11 Perception: 12 Stealth: 9 Feats: 12 Health: 30/20/10/5 Elend – Leçons de Ténèbres – 05 – Infernal Beauty A perfect track to illustrate a horrific encounter with a Siren. Bewitchment: Coming within 30 feet of a Siren is extremely dangerous. Its gaze can bewitch the target on a failure of a Complicated (14) Mental Resistance roll. A success immunizes the target against this particular Siren. A failure means that the target is bewitched, ready to fall within the embrace of the creature, which will then take its prey away to the depths to devour him or her. Even away from it, the victim will keep being haunted by vivid dreams, as if under the spell of a powerful feeling of love. The Character suffers the effects of a Nightmare (see Book 1 Universe, p.271), and will attempt to rejoin the creature at the first opportunity. Requiem: The song of the siren is a strange melody, inhuman but capable of hypnotizing those who hear it and of making them fall in a sort of hallucinated daze. The effects of a Siren's Requiem are similar to a Stupor (see Book 1 Universe, p.271): the victim remains frozen for 1D10 minutes and will only wake up from a sharp blow, a loud sound, or cold water–which will probably correspond to the moment when the Siren dives into the river's waters with its victim! This effect can only be resisted with a Complicated (14) Mental Resistance roll. Majestic, she stands on a rock of which only the crest rises from the river's waters. She stares at me with those ruby-hued eyes, her thin mouth curved in a thoughtful smile. Her beauty strikes me like a stone, slices my mind with lascivious visions that I attempt to drive back. Yet, I cannot help but stare at her, completely engrossed in her ample bosom, her flat, firm abdomen, but also in her long tentacles with purple-tinted tips, which look like the hair of a drowned beauty. I gaze at the translucent sac filled with a reddish fluid attached to her skull and the top of her forehead; it seems to throb with a life of its own. Sometimes, the thin appendages that clutch it like spider legs and the long tentacles that sprout from it shiver to the rhythm of its pulsations. They seem to speak to me in a secret tongue, to invite me to join their mistress and to nest in her impressive serpentine abdomen. “Come, come...” Her voice, similar to the brief crystalline thrums of a harp, resonates under my skull. I lay in my bed, but sleep eludes me since the day when, three weeks ago, I ventured on the banks of the Tealderoth in spite of the locals' warnings. I feel her soft tongue and languid kisses on my skin, her womanly scent mingled with heady, incense-like fragrances, her smooth lower body grazing the tips of my fingers. “Come to me, come...” How could I ever live without the exquisite melody of her words moaned against my ear?! No, never, it must not stop. I must join her now. She will take me in her arms and hold me against her coils, where I will taste her fabulous embrace. Then, we will sink together into the river's waters and we will explore its icy depths, heedless of the dying days... Sir, After hearing several matching testimonies, I suspect that creatures similar to the Sirens of the Tealderoth have infested the Gray Bogs. I know that you and your men are to cross this region soon in order to go to the Lands of Dèas. Be very careful! If you should hear strange singing, be wary, and do not hesitate to strike your men to bring them back to their senses. Above all, never get close to these abominations, as they hold a powerful hypnotic power. I hope that you will receive this letter before you leave and that these few pieces of advice will be of use to you. Yours faithfully, Juzel

195

A Aelwyd Saogh....................................26 (ah-el-weed sah-ohg) Ahman Glas (ah-mahn glahss).......17, 189 Aimliù (em-lee-oo).........................10, 67 Aisir Ceòmhor.......…........................18 (ahy-eh-zeer sey-oh-mohr) Alliance Bridge..................................18 Aoda Mac Iseanor..............39, 108, 195 Aodren (ah-oh-dren) Floyd....139, 141, 146 Aqueous Fever...................................87 Ard-Amrach (ahrd ahm-rahk)................10 Ard-Monach (ahrd moh-nahk)...............18 Argala, the Devourer.......................148 Asgeamar (ahs-geh-ah-mahr) Mountains .........................................26 Ashen Archipelago .....................26, 68 Ashen Yard .................................30, 49 B Baldh-Ruoch (bahld roo-ohk)...........14, 106 Bear..................................................183 Beast of Frendian.......................39, 195 Brégan...............................................18 Broken Stones.......................10, 29, 46 Brother Daernic (dah-ehr-neek)........144 C Caernide (kah-eyr-need)......................183 Caiginn (kahy-zheen)............................19 Cairns' Island...........................19, 65 Calhtair's (kahl-teyr) Wood............19, 29 Calvary..................................10, 36, 68 Calyre (kahl-eer)................................183 Candlewood.......................................14 Cape of Farewells........................19, 68 Cardach (kahr-dahk).............................19 Carmine Chasm.......................... 14, 48 Castle of Aodreth (ah-oh-dret).............19 Castle of the Reeds............................19 Cat.......................................................183 Ciany (see-ahn-ee) Lorn................139, 156 Cirque of Argoneskan ......................14 Citadel of Dèas (deh-ahss)...................19 Citadel of Kermordhran (kehr-mohr-drahn) ..................................14 Cliffs of No Return........................... 26 Cliffs of Sorrows...............................26 Cnaigh (knah-eg)................................185 Cold Lady........................................166 Còmhlan (com-lahn)......................20, 29 Corvus Abbey....................................10 Crail (krel)...........................................14 Crow...............................................183 Crows' Peak.......................................14 D Deanaidh (deh-ahn-ah-eed)................... 20 Dearg (deh-ahrg)..................................20 Deh’ad (dey-ahd)..................................10 Deirdre Louriène (loo-ree-ehn)..13, 77, 148, 152 Demorthèn (de-mohr-ten).....102, 168, 174 Dorelian (doh-rel-ee-ahn)......................76 Dullfrost...................................... 26, 69 E Eagle's Peak.......................................15 Ear Caladh (eh-ahr cah-lahd).................15 Eberict(eh-beh-reekt), the Shadow.......172 Ergon Tamir.....................................164 Expiation......................................11, 33 F Fairean Ear (fah-ee-reh-ahn eh-ar)....................... 15, 29 Fall Tree.............................................16 Faol Ròd (fah-ohl rohd)....................... 20 Farl...............................................16, 41 Fearil (feh-ah-reel)................................ 20 Fionnfuar (fee-on-foo-ahr)...............11, 37 Fools' Spring................................20, 66 Forest of Whispers.............................11 Frendialenn (fren-dee-ah-len).......... 39, 195 Frendian (fren-dee-ahn)..........20, 38, 108 Furious Ocean..............................27, 67 G Gévon (zhey-vohn)............................... 80 Gline (gleen).........................................16 Gorm Caladh...................................... 11 Gouvran (goo-vrahn)............................. 11 Great Beaches.................................... 21 H Hòb's Cape...................................21, 68 Horse / Steed....................................183 Howling Chasms................................21 I Iolach (ee-ohl-ahk)................................21 Iolairnead (ee-ohl-ehr-neh-ahd)...............16 J Jed, Slivers.......................................176 K Kaer Daegis (kah-ehr dah-ehg-ees).........21 Kalvernach (kahl-vehr-nahk).................16 Kavan (kah-vahn) Mac Dougal...........174 Kel Loar (kehl loh-ahr).........................21 Kell....................................................16 Koskan ..............................................21 -Index196

-Index197 L Lady Fir Patience........................36, 192 Leacach (leh-ah-kahsh).........................22 Liadan Ni Connell (lee-ahd-ahn).........168 Liagcal (lee-ahg-kal).....10, 15, 19, 20, 29 Lines of Tùrsal (tuhr-sahl)...............22, 28 Llewellen (ley-wey-lehn)......................22 Loch Snìomh (loch snee-om)..........89, 184 Loch Varn.......................................... 22 Louarn (loo-ahrn)................................ 22 Luad (loo-ahd)..................................... 87 Lyrielle (lee-ree-ehl) of the Finery..16, 40, 160 M Madarcht......99, 121, 129, 133, 190 Marn.................................................162 Mealtag (meh-ahl-tahg).........................78 187 Melwan..............................................22 Minion of Madarcht...........................87 Mist Bridge.....110, 117, 124, 133, 134, 191 Monastery of the Windy Peak............11 Mòrail Peak........................................23 Morcail (mohr-kahy)....102, 148, 166, 178 Mòr Forsair (mohr fohr-sehr).................27 Mòr Roimh (mohr ro-eem)....................27 Mùdan (moo-dahn)......96, 97, 99, 111, 116 Mudcrawler...................................82, 186 N Nectan................................................12 Nimh Cuir (neem soo-eer)......85, 110, 188 Norgord's Plateau....................................12 O Ogham (oh-gahm)...............................178 Ordachaï (or-dah-shahy) Peak...............12 Osta-Baille (oh-stah-bahy).....................23 Ostreach (ohst-reesh).............................23 P Pass of Brorann................................. 23 Pass of Gaos-Bodhar (gah-ohs bohd-ahr)..................................16 Pass of Lochre (lohkr).........................23 Pass of Oerdh (oh-ehrd).......................23 Poison-plant...................... 85, 110, 188 Preden Mac Blonag...................108, 150 Q Quentin Erward.......................142, 189 R Rat....................................................183 Rhingal (reen-gahl)...............................12 River Donir...................................16, 40 River Klaedhin (klah-ehd-een)........23, 63 River Kreizhdour (krehz-door)........27, 63 River Oëss (oh-ehs)........................17, 41 River Pezhdour (pehz-door)............12, 64 River Tealderoth (teh-ahl-deh-roth).......................27, 41, 64 Ruel's Crossroads...............................23 S Sad Hills.............................................24 Saint Albérich's (ahl-bey-reek) Cathedral............................................13 Sea of Shrouds.............................27, 64 Sea wyrm...................................89, 184 Seòl (sey-ohl).......................................24 Sighing Forest....................................27 Siren............................27, 64 , 189, 194 Sir Jerryl of the Swamps......25, 101, 154 Slope of the Fallen......................13, 44 Smàrag...............................................24 Snàgan........................................82, 146 Snake............................................... 183 Sneachda (sneh-ahk-dah)...................166 Sorcerers..........................156 , 172, 179 Spider...............................................183 Stermerk.............................................53 Sunken Forest....................................24 T Taelwald's (tah-ehl-wahld) Forest.........17 Tarish.................................................77 Tarish curse......................................180 Terkhên (tehr-kehn)..............................24 Tilliarch (teel-ee-yahrk)........................24 Torn Woods.................................13, 36 Tri-Sweszörs (tree-sweh-zohr)........27, 65 Tsioghair (tsee-oh-gah-eer)....................28 Tuaille (too-ahy)...................................25 Tulg-Naomh (toolg nah-ohm)................25 Two-Blades Nic...............................170 V Vampire bat.................................78, 187 W Western Swamps................25, 154, 187 Wolf.............................................183 Wreckers.....................................25, 68 Y Yellow Hills......................................25 Yvon Joern............................16, 84, 158